Soldiers pose for a photograph outside the First World War recruiting trolley parked in front of the old St. Paul Street YMCA, 1916. STCM 6168-N.

St. Catharines took up the call to arms during the First World War with great enthusiasm. St. Catharines had three recruiting stations: the Lake Street Armouries, the former Monarch Knitting Company building on Page Street, and the most novel, a trolley car parked in front of the YMCA on St. Paul Street.

Despite a proportionally large number of men who died at the front (340 men died of the approximately 1000 men who went overseas) wartime St. Catharines was frequently photographed with parades, picnics and concerts, Colour Flag presentations, and many other enthusiastic and patriotic events in support of the war efforts.

The Old (or First?) YMCA

The St. Paul Street YMCA, c. 1906. STCM 4268-N.

A YMCA chapter has been in active in St. Catharines since 1859 but it wasn’t until 1906 that they settled at their first permanent and purpose built home on St. Paul Street. The building cost $14000.00 to build.

The building boasted a gymnasium, but it’s not what we’re used to today. The building also had two bowling alleys (the first in the city), a men’s reading room, a men’s social room, three club rooms, and a dormitory with 10 rooms for rent.

Fire Insurance Plan showing the location of the YMCA, 1920. STCM 1972.31.1.6B.

It remained open until the new (second) Queen Street YMCA was opened in 1929. The new building also incorporated the YWCA. The building fundraising was led by philanthropists Kate and Reuben Leonard, Kate being the first honourary YWCA president and laid the cornerstone of the new building. The old St. Paul Street Y was demolished in 1929 to make way for a new hotel – the Leonard Hotel.

There’s More to the Story

Check out the entire History InSite installation across Merritton, downtown St. Catharines and in Port Dalhousie.

About History InSite

A permanent, site specific installation, History InSite juxtaposes historical photographs with modern streetscapes by presenting the photo in, or close to, the place which it was taken.

St. Catharines has a rich photographic history and when compared to the changing streetscapes around the City, that history becomes much more meaningful, poignant, and relevant to our modern eyes.

The Downtown series was installed in July 2021. The Port Dalhousie series was installed in May 2022. The Merritton series was installed in May 2023.

History InSite is presented by the St. Catharines Museum & Welland Canals Centre.

Graffiti Report

If you spot any graffiti on our purple History InSite signs, please send us a message.