Christine Whelan, FEO, May 1, 2025, VOL. 6 ISSUE 17

Vince Cottone, president of the Italo-Canadian Club of Fort Erie, wants the community to know that although the hall has been sold, the club is still active and has a plan. They’ve shifted gears, and the community will benefit.

The Italo-Canadian Hall was built on Dipietro Street, just off Garrison Road, in Fort Erie in 1965. Seed money from a collective investment each member made of $100 got the club’s operations up and running.

Over the years, its members used the hall as a cultural hub to unite the Italian community and support the Greater Fort Erie area.

For over twenty years, they held their pasta nights twice a month in the hall. All proceeds went to the group of the night, whether it be a school, a sports team, or a local charity, most often raising $1000.00 plus per event.

The club has supported over 30 charities by hosting pasta dinner fundraisers. It has raised at least half a million dollars in funds for the Douglas Memorial Hospital site over the years.

End of an Era

The doors to the Italo-Canadian Hall closed at the end of June 2023.

“Our thanks go out to the public who have supported us over the years,” Vince commented about how entrenched the hall was in the community. It’s been two years since the hall closed, but everyone is still asking. They’re asking about the pasta nights. I have to tell them we no longer have the space to run them.”

It was the end of the hall, but not the end of the club.

The members are still actively working together. When the property was sold, the club continued to support the community with the funds it now had. 

In 2024, a total of approximately $30,000 was donated.

Vince says they will be able to use the sales money to help the community more than they used to. “We’ll start giving the money out over the next few years.” He says it will be a while before that money runs out.

“We’ll still hold a couple of events. But with our membership getting smaller, the manpower is dwindling.”

Helping the Community

Cottone listed a few of the areas in the community the club has been considering. “We hope to support local breakfast programs at all schools in our community. They’re always short on money.

“We also intend to support the groups that help our neighbours in need.” He was referring to Strong Fort Erie Neighbourhoods. “It reaches a lot of people in town.”

Strong Fort Erie Neighbourhoods (SFEN) is a community-based charity that operates within St. Michael Parish Hall. It was created to support poverty relief and to provide help with connecting to other essential health and social needs.

“A new youth group is starting up, so we’ve been trying to help them out a little, too.”

Vince remarked about the funds the club received for the sale of the hall: “It’s no good sitting in the bank. We’re not going to go out and buy another property or try to build another building. It is our intent going forward to continue with this effort. Our focus will be on youth and poverty.”

The president of the Italo-Canadian Club concluded with the clear message, “The hall may be closed, but we, the club, want the community to know we are still here and looking for ways to support our community in any way we possibly can.”

To learn more about the Italo-Canadian Club and its history with the hall, check out www.feitaloclub.com