Milton Memorial Hall, Tupper Street, Milton, Nova Scotia

The hall after completion

Building the Milton Hall

I recall when I was younger, my dad's uncle had a few boxes of old papers, receipts, etc and one day I got to look through the boxes. In it were mostly papers dealing with Milton businesses but there was a letter that I never forgot. It read help was needed to build the new Milton Memorial Hall so bring your hammer and come help us build. I didn't save the letter and after the uncle passed away in 2001 I was hoping to find those boxes of stuff. Sadly they were gone, most likely burned in the kitchen stove. The Milton Hall opened around 1961 and has been used as a community hall for 50 years. Many Milton volunteers have kept the place going and when it looked really bad for the hall a few years ago, more people stepped up to the plate and picked up the pieces and to my knowledge things are going strong again. Monday night Bingo has been held there forever and I remember going there when I was a kid with my dad and later with my grandmother. Guyon Covey and his friend Olive Whynot always sat in the same spot and never missed a Monday Night Bingo. Also held in the building were auctions, dances, wedding receptions, meetings, suppers, mens and womens volleyball leagues and of course Milton Days in July is usually held in the hall yard. (The Milton Days Queen Pageant was held in the hall) When I was going to Milton School in the 1970s the school didn't have a gym so we walked over to the Hall to play basketball, floor hockey, and volleyball for gym class with our teacher Roger Jollimore. Back around the 1980s I think, the entrance was enlarged and a wheelchair ramp added. The large windows along each side of the building were removed and not replaced because of constant vandalism. This year new tables and chairs were purchased for the hall and the kitchen had some renovations done to it as well. The Milton Community Association built and operates the hall and as I recall, the sign in the entry says that they are always looking for more members to help keep things going. Last I knew Anne Conrad was president and doing a great job!
The last years I donated my money to their cause by going to bingo with my mom. Haven't been there since July and I miss the gang from Monday night Bingo but hope to see them all real soon!