Small Arms transformation getting $1M from federal fund – July 30, 2015 Mississauga News article

A press conference was held at the Small Arms Building on July 30, 2015 to announce that the Canadian Government has approved up to $1 million for restoration of the historic facility. Local MP Stella Ambler of Mississauga South, who broke the news, joined by Jim Tovey (centre) Councillor Ward 1, Brian Denney (right) CEO, Toroto and Region Conservation and architect Michael Spaziani with some preliminary plans for the site. Staff photo by Rob Beintema. Source: July 30, 2015 Mississauga News article.

A press conference was held at the Small Arms Building on July 30, 2015 to announce that the Canadian Government has approved up to $1 million for restoration of the historic facility. Linda Wigley, a former bullet loader, in one of the buildings where she worked throughout the Second World War. Staff photo by Rob Beintema. Source: July 30, 2015 Mississauga News article.

A July 30, 2015 Mississauga News article by Chris Clay is entitled: “Small Arms transformation getting $1M from federal fund.”

The opening paragraphs read:

“MISSISSAUGA – The dream of turning the Small Arms Building in Lakeview into a hub for arts, culture, heritage and science took another step forward Thursday with an announcement that the project would receive $1 million from a federal program.

“Ward 1 Councillor Jim Tovey was at the building for the announcement that was made by Mississauga South MP Stella Ambler. He said the money coming from the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program means there’s about $2.6 million available for the first phase of the project, which is expected to cost about $3.2 million to renovate part of the site and turn it into a space available for community use.

“Tovey’s hopeful it will be ready for the public by next spring or summer. He told the dozens of people who turned up to the announcement that the funding news felt like it was ‘Christmas in July.’

“Ambler, meanwhile, said she hadn’t been able to stop smiling since she found out the project had been approved from the Canada 150 program, which will distribute $150 million across the country – including $44.4 million for Ontario projects – for the rehabilitation, renovation and expansion of community infrastructure.

” ‘Working with Jim Tovey on this has been wonderful and his enthusiasm is contagious,’ said Ambler. ‘He understands, like I do, this (site) is a special part of the community.’ ”

[End of excerpt]

Small Arms Building was used for inspection of small arms produced at nearby Small Arms Ltd. munitions factory

A July 30, 2015 news release from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario erroneously asserts that the Small Arms Building served “as a munitions factory during WWII, including the production of the [Lee Enfield] No. 4 rifles and Sten guns used by the allied forces during the war.”

The news release adds that: “At peak operating capacity, the factory employed 5,300 to 5,500 workers, supported by a 65% female workforce which has resulted in recognition by the Rosie the Riveter Organization in California (a first in Canada), for its employment of a mostly female workforce during WWII. In 2009 the City of Mississauga designated the building as being of cultural heritage value or interest.”

The July 30, 2015 Mississauga News article correctly asserts that “The [Small Arms] building and the water tower on the site are the last remaining structures of the larger Small Arms Limited plant that was built in 1940 to provide support for the Allied war effort. It was at the plant that a mostly female workforce made Lee Enfield rifles and Sten machine guns during the Second World War.”

Small Arms Building was separate from munitions factory

By way of sharing accurate information, it may be noted that the Small Arms Building served as an inspection facility for the small arms produced at the Small Arms Ltd. munitions factory.

The Small Arms Building was separate from the munitions factory; the July 30, 2015 news release conflates the existence of the Small Arms Building with the existence of the much larger small arms factory that used to exist at the Arsenal Lands.

Additional background about the building, based upon the available archival evidence, can be accessed at a previous post entitled:

Long Branch Rifle Range, Small Arms Building, and the Arsenal Lands

The latter post includes a link to the following overview from Heritage Mississauga:

Small Arms, Ltd. 1940-1946 – Heritage Mississauga

Small arms technology

Small arms technology is continuously advancing, as a post entitled The evolution of the smart gun at Defence Research and Development Canada notes.