ONTARIO:

Mulcaster Street Armoury:

Opened in Barrie in 1888 at the corner of Mulcaster Street and Collier Street as the home for The Simcoe Foresters of Barrie. With the outbreak of war in 1914, it had become apparent that the Mulcaster Street Armoury was inadequate for the Forester's needs. A new Armoury was constructed at Queen's Park, the former site an armoury once occupied by Simcoe Foresters predecessor, No. 1 Rifle Company of Simcoe County.

The Barrie Armoury opened in 1916 and the main contingent of the Simcoe Foresters moved to the Armoury, although the Mulcaster Street Armoury would continue to be used as a satellite location until 1946 when the Battalion would finally depart. The building was taken over by the Board of Works.

From 1995 to 2007, the armoury served as the constituency office of Joe Tascona, Progressive Conservative Member of the Ontario Legislative Assembly for the riding of Barrie - Simcoe - Bradford, in addition to the Grey & Simcoe Foresters Museum The Grey & Simcoe Foresters still occupy the Barrie Armoury.

Today, only the G&SF Museum remains, expanded to include the entire armoury as it's display space.

Source Material: "The Armoury / Farmers Market" Building - "36 Mulcaster Street" supplied by Heritage Barrie (2003), information supplied by LCol Lorne Williams, Honoury Lieutenant Colonel, Grey & Simcoe Foresters (2003) and the personal recollections of the author (2002).

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Durham Armoury:

Opened in the Town of Durham at the corner of Elgin St North and George Street East in 1910 to house the 31st Grey Battalion and later, with the outbreak of World War I, the 147th Grey Battalion. After the war ended, the armoury was used as a social hall for returning veterans, but by the late 1920�s, the armoury had fallen into disuse and neglect.

With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the armoury was re-activated as a recruiting and training establishment. The Grey & Simcoe Foresters, a battalion formed in 1936 with the amalgamation of the 147th Grey Battalion and the Simcoe Foresters from the Town of Barrie, took over the armoury and the surrounding land for a training area. When the war ended, the armoury remained an active part of the post-war militia.

Defence Department cutbacks in the late 1950s lead to the closure of many military establishments and the Durham Armoury were no exception. The armoury closed in 1960 and was sold to Don Pust, a local resident who would later spend 20 years as the Chief of the Durham & District Fire Department. The former Durham Armoury is now a chiropractic clinic and the land once used as the training area is now the Durham Conservation Area.

Source Material: History of the Town of Durham 1842-1994 by the Durham Historical Society (1994).

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Dennison Armoury:

The original Dennison Armoury opened in 1965 at the corner of Dufferin Street and Highway 401, as home to the Governor General's Horse Guards and the Toronto Service Battalion, later re-named 25 (Toronto) Service Battalion.

The Dennison Armoury closed in 2002 when a new armoury, also named Dennison Armoury, opened on a small plot of vacant land at the former CFB Toronto. The former armoury was torn down a year later and today, not the slightest trace remains.

Source Material: personal recollections of the author (2003). 

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University Avenue Armoury:

University Avenue Armouries, the home of several Toronto Regiments such as the Queen's Own Rifles, 48th Highlanders, Governor General's Horse Guards, 29th Field Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery and a Medium Artillery Regiment and the centre of Militia activities in Toronto from 1891 until it was demolished in 1963. 

An office tower now stands on the site of the armouries. 

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Major F.A. Tilston (VC) Armoury (The Windsor Armoury):

The original Tilson Armoury opened in 1900 near the corner of University Ave West & Oulette Ave in downtown Windsor. The armoury was originally named the Windsor Armoury, but this was later changed to honour WWII Victoria Cross winner Frederick Albert Tilston.

After one hindered years of use, the armoury was much too small for its tenants - The Windsor Regiment, The Essex & Kent Scottish Regiment, and the 21 Service Battalion. The armoury had originally been built to house one infantry unit, and was never intended to also house the vehicles that a mechanized unit would require.

In 2003, The Department of National Defence and the City of Windsor entered into a unique arrangement: a joint training facility for use by both the Army Reserves and the Windsor Police. The new armoury, located on the corner of Sandwich Street and Ojibway Parkway, opened in June 2004.

On 16 October 2004, The Windsor Regiment, The Essex & Kent Scottish Regiment, the 21 Service Battalion and the Windsor Police Service held an official march-out parade from the old Tilston Armoury to the new Major F.A. Tilston (VC) Armoury and Police Training Centre, formally closing the door on over 100 years of army presence in downtown Windsor.

In 2011, the University of Windsor  announced that it will relocate its Music and Visual Arts programs to the Armouries building

Source Material: information supplied by Capt. Brian Chaney, Officer Commanding, 22 MP Platoon (2004), information supplied by the Windsor Police Service - www.police.windsor.on.ca & The Department of National Defence news release 12 June 2001.

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Cobourg Armoury:

Opened in 1904 as the home of the Cobourg Heavy Battery and the Northumberland Battalion of Infantry.

During World War II, the armoury was the HQ for the 14th Field Artillery, the 347th Field and the 36th Field. After the War, the 33rd Medium Regiment was stationed at the armoury. Summer recruit courses were held from 1957 - 1964.

The armoury was declared surplus and closed on 1 April 1970, ending 103 years of artillery in Cobourg.  It is now the Couburg Police station.

Source Material: Cobourg: Early Days and Modern Times by John Spilsbury and the personal recollecitons of the author (2012).

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Wallis House Armoury:

Former home of 28 (Ottawa) Service Battalion and 763 (Ottawa) Communication Regiment.

Source Material: Doug Perrault, Ottawa Residenct (2004).

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Oro Township Drill Shed:

In 1866-67 a drill-shed was erected in East Oro by the Oro Company, 35^th Battalion, the Simcoe Foresters. At this time when the Fenian Raids were alarming the country, eight company drill-sheds where built in Simcoe County.  This building served Oro Company until the turn of the century and was demolished around 1918.  All that remains is a memorial chairn.