The Basilica Recreation Centre — Befiwe and After

Eddie Dorion, and Ralph DeRoches.

The chaplain was a young priest,

Fr. Alex MacLean, who came to the Diocese from Iona, Nova Scotia to set up a Young Christian Worker program. We had youth exchange to Toronto and Truro, Nova Scotia. One of our YCW members, Keith MacDonald, went on to become national president.

The Young Christian Workers

were from many walks of life: highway safety employees, city police, teachers, secretaries, bank employees, carpenters, farmers, and small business owners. My memories go back to the banner on the cement block wall at the top of the stairs. It read, “Together we stand, divided we fall”.

Jimmy MacGillvary and Fr. MacLean on the piano at a YC W social function.

Most of us said our YCW prayer faithfully, especially before our regular meetings. In about 1970, the YCW moved to a Water Street location, because it was felt that some of the young people who could benefit from the service were reluctant to join because it was located in the Basilica Rec Centre. The YCW operated for about another five years. The space that the YCW had at the centre was later used as the Upper Room Ministry, started by Fr. Gerald Tingley, which became a city wide interdenominational effort. In 2005, when there were some indications that the centre might be sold, the four Rotary Clubs in the Charlottetown area helped finance a new building for the Upper Room.

Funding for the YCW came from the St. Dunstan’s University board, which enabled the hiring of full and part time staff. An aggressive program to help unemployed young people learn new employment skills was introduced, and many local businesses participated in this job entry project. Many of the Mcdonald’s restaurant’s first employees were hired through this program.

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