SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The Legion has been closed for about eight months, but the president of the club wants Yellowknife to know, "the legion is back and going to be open again.

Brian Campbell, president of Yellowknife's Royal Canadian Legion, hopes the doors will open to the public on May 1. - Tim Edwards/NNSL photo

"We originally closed eight months ago because of low membership," said Brian Campbell, president of Yellowknife's Royal Canadian Legion.

"We couldn't afford to keep the building open, basically."

Campbell said the number of active members is between 100 and 150, but in the Legion's heyday, the number was closer to 500.

"Five years ago, when I first moved here, it was a pretty booming place," said Campbell.

The building was sold last fall to Dan Hayward, owner of Headgear, the store that takes up much of the new building.

Despite being significantly smaller, Campbell is happy with the new Legion, which can accommodate 58 people.

"It's gonna be a nice, quiet little bar," said Campbell.

As of Tuesday, the Legion's tables and pool table were in place, and all the construction was done. The only work left to do is to hang up decorations, dart boards and set up the bar.

Lorne Hobbs, a 17-year-long member, popped his head in to ask if he could take a look. Campbell obliged and Hobbs came in with his two daughters, and seemed very happy with the place.

"It's just the right size for people like us to come in and play Nevadas and darts," Hobbs told Campbell.

Hobbs told Yellowknifer he's been going to the Elks club to play Nevada tickets, which are break-open lottery tickets which the Legion sold while it was open.

Hobbs said he was excited for the Legion to reopen.

"I don't drink but I still like coming in and playing the meat raffles on a Friday night," he said.

Campbell said the Legion still has some rivers to cross – the club is $80,000 in debt to businesses around town and to other Legion branches, and a failure to notify the liquor board of the downsizing has garnered them a hearing with the board at the end of April.

"Hopefully when we get the place up and running, the debt to the local businesses will be paid off in a timely manner," said Campbell.

He said the Legion, once a club for veterans, has evolved into a social club for everyone. When open, it would hold darts games and pool games, and host fundraisers for charities. Campbell hopes this will continue when the Legion reopens.

The Legion will still be located in the same building on Franklin Avenue and 47 Street.