Leamington Air Cadets look to save historic home ahead of 65th anniversary

The Leamington Air Cadets 535 Archer Squadron is trying to save its historic H-hut building while celebrating their 65th anniversary this week.

The cadets have called the structure at the back of the former Leamington District Secondary School home since 1958, but now must move this summer while the town plans to put affordable housing on the property. 

“Thousands and thousands of young people have gone through this building and have been trained in the air element,” said Jonathan Azzopardi, a graduate of the Windsor Air Cadets’ program and chair of the Leamington Squadron Sponsorship Committee.

“I think we're the best kept secret in all of Canada. Most people don't know about us. We were at one time the largest unit in Canada and we want to make sure that the world knows that 535 is here to stay.”

Jonathan Azzopardi, Butch Rickeard, Jim Goodall of the squadron sponsorship committee in Leamington, Ont. on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)

The group’s final annual inspection ceremony inside the building Wednesday evening marks the official start to the squadron’s fundraising efforts.

Azzopardi said they need to raise between $350,000 to $500,000 to relocate significant portions of the 80-year-old building to a piece of land donated by the Leamington Agricultural Society, suggesting the historical significance is worth preservation.

“We're literally moving a building,” he said. “Costs are going to be high. Our training year starts in September. So we're up against a window of time that we'll make sure that we're actually ready for when the cadets come back.”

According to Squadron, The Leamington Cadet program started in partnership with Leamington District High School in 1943, converting from Army Cadets to Air Cadets in 1953. It ran as part of the school system until 1958.

535 Squadron was officially formed on Oct. 15, 1958.

The Leamington Air Cadets 535 Archer Squadron is trying to save its historic H-hut building pictured in Leamington, Ont. on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. (Chris Campbell./CTV News Windsor)

The home building is an “H” Hut originally from the Windsor Airport and used in the Second World War, before it was relocated and 535 took official ownership.

The centre parade section was added to connect the two ends in 1968, and has remained since.

The building was formerly an elementary flight training school, and remains the only functional H-hut in Ontario that’s still being used for its original intended purpose.

“It speaks to the legacy of those that were involved in the war effort,” said Butch Rickeard, a Leamington high school teacher and secretary of the squadron sponsorship committee.

“World War II really symbolized a changing point for Canada and that people had to work together and buildings like this, which were quickly constructed, but used for decades later kind of were symbolic of that.”

The Leamington Air Cadets 535 Archer Squadron home. The building is an “H” Hut originally from the Windsor Airport and used in World War Two, before it was relocated and 535 took official ownership. Pictured in Leamington, Ont. on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)

He continued, “And the fact that students still learn about air service, in air functionality and all those different mechanics that are surrounding it in the same classrooms that people who were going to fight in wars, it’s fantastic.”

“It’s too easy to forget our history,” Azzopardi told CTV News. “It would be so much easier for us to tear down this building and just build brand new on brand new foundation. But we'd be doing it a disservice. Somebody worked really hard 65 years ago to make sure that this building was preserved and was moved and was still serving the purpose that originally was intended to do. This team is not going to be the team that lets them down and hopefully 65 years from now, the same crew will be looking back and saying that was the right decision that we made.”

He continued, “The Ag Society has been looking for a way to actually plug in with the youth, which as part of their mandate and the Air Cadets kind of fit right into that mandate very nicely. So by bringing us on to the fairgrounds, it gives them instant access to exposure to working with the youth and that's what our program is all about, working with the youth.”

“We're going to need the support of the community and government, and hopefully they see the same great story that we see.”

The Leamington Air Cadets 535 Archer Squadron home. The building is an “H” Hut originally from the Windsor Airport and used in World War Two, before it was relocated and 535 took official ownership. Pictured in Leamington, Ont. on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)