Indian Head Walking Tour Brochure & Map.pdf - Tourism ...

38. 708 Otterloo:
Southeast Regional College
The Indian Head Museum displays a card with the
following inscription: “The Officers of the Indian
Head Troop ‘C’ Squadron 16th Light Horse request
the pleasure of the company of yourself and friends on
the occasion of the Formal Opening of the Indian Head
Armoury by Colonel Steele at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday,
February 18th, 1914. A Military Ball will be held in the
evening.” Sam Steele was then 65 years old.
The Indian Head Armoury was built to Standard
Armoury Plan Type A, designed by the Engineer Service
Branch, Dept. of Militia and Defence. The building
measures 42 feet by 92 feet, the size built for onecompany
units. It had a shooting range in the basement.
The Indian Head Armoury is identical to at least
three others erected elsewhere in Canada, including
Moosomin, Saskatchewan (1913); Orno, Ontario (1914);
and Enderby, British Columbia (1914). These armouries
were less ornate than those previously designed by the
Dept. of Public Works.
N. Leslie Sterritt has this recollection: “I joined the
local militia in 1935 as a ‘recruit’ stretching my age
to 16 . . . We trained Tuesday and Thursday evening.
However, the armoury provided a good basketball court,
small gymnasium, parallel bars and boxing under the
tutelage of Gaston Eichel. In 1937-38 we had mixed
badminton, followed by lunches, always chaperoned
by RSM Charlie Brooks or other senior members of the
unit.”
The armoury was used as the office of the Indian
Head School Division and, since 2002, for the Southeast
Regional College, its present use. TG + LK
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