Lion's Willow Point Community Hall

The Lion's Willow Point Community Hall is a simple wood frame structure located on the water at 2165 Old Island Highway in the City of Campbell River, B.C.

The inside of the Willow Point Hall hosts a unique wood floor construction; plywood set on edge. The main hall is small and holds approximately 200 people. There is a stage, full catering kitchen, washrooms, storage and an office in behind the stage.

The Willow Point Community Hall has historic value as the oldest community hall in Campbell River and an important reminder and tangible example of small community halls built up and down the coast of Vancouver Island in the 1940s. The building recalls the simple building traditions, construction materials and open space floor design that characterized this building type. Built completely by community volunteers in 1940, it has been owned and operated by community organizations since its construction.

The Willow Point Hall has cultural and historic value for its association with many of the oldest families in Campbell River. The Hall evokes memories of the past and has been a gathering place for the Willow Point community since it was built. Everything happened at the Willow Point Hall; weddings, scouts, brownies, political gatherings, church events, anniversaries, dances, recitals and many other cultural events.

The Hall has historic and aesthetic value for its interior features including its unique floor construction, its stage, and the windows in the main hall. The original floor is about 1.5 inches thick and the construction method was plywood set on edge. The Willow Point Hall was the first hall in Campbell River to use this type of flooring and is the only remaining flooring of its kind in its original context. The stage is valued as a unique addition, not often found in small community halls, and as a major reason for the site being the centre of so many social, political and cultural gatherings. The windows in the main hall bring in natural light and add to the warm and welcoming atmosphere. The windows are not original but are the same style as the original windows.

The site's position along the highway, placement adjacent to Sybil Andrew's home, and unique roofline make the Hall a landmark along the Old Island Highway.

SOURCE: City of Campbell River

The elements that define the character of the Lion's Willow Point Community Hall include its:

- original wood flooring (plywood set on edge)

- stage

- windows in the main hall

- location along the highway and adjacent to the Sybil Andrews Cottage

- unique roofline

- original old style kitchen with serving window typical of 1940s community halls