The Friends of Holy Rosary Hall is a group of volunteers dedicated to the development of a fully accessible facility to serve people of all ages in Thorold. The group is committed to the preservation of the social fabric of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish while serving the entire community by operating a revitalized multi-purpose hall for everyone to enjoy.
Rebuilding a place for unity in the community
The Holy Rosary Hall was constructed in 1962 as a place for parishioners of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish to come together for activities. Over the years, thousands of people in the community have enjoyed the cultural and religious events in the facility located on Queen Street South, Thorold.
In its 58 years of operation, the hall has been a popular venue for a wide array of events for the community to enjoy. People of all ages in Thorold have fond memories of pasta suppers, beef on a bun dinners hosted by the Knights of Columbus, bingo games, penny sales, raffles , bazaars, Christmas concerts by school children, festivals, and many other community events have thrived in the hall.
Community Cultural Events in Holy Rosary Hall
For local culture and entertainment, the hall has been the venue for the famous Canal Bank Shuffle Blues Festival, comedy nights, Elvis Tribute show, among other performances. Familes have celebrated special occasions at the hall as the venue for wedding receptions, bridal showers, anniversary parties and other private functions.
Feasts Celebrate Italian Traditions at Holy Rosary Hall
For example, before the hall was constructed, the Feast of the Assumption, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, was first held outside Holy Rosary Church in August 1925. It is one of the oldest events in the Niagara Region organized by Italian immigrants. In recent years the Feast of the Assumption in August and the Feast of St. Anthony in June have included religious ceremonies outdoors with a procession followed by social activities including performances by live bands and dancing in the hall.
Knights of Columbus Room in Holy Rosary Hall
Adjacent to the annex, the local Knights of Columbus council has a room in the hall where the charitable organization works tirelessly to give back to the community.
In the past years during the Christmas season, the Knights partner with St. Vincent de Paul Society to welcome families in need to visit the hall. The families feel the love and support in the hall as the Knights hand out food baskets and toys for kids.
Charitable Groups Use Holy Rosary Hall
Charitable groups such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides have come to the hall for monthly meetings. The hall has been utilized for civic services including blood donor clinics as well as voting polls for local elections, to name a few. In the past, the Thorold Garden Club flourished with flower shows and meetings over the years in the hall.
Memories of Hall on Facebook Conversation
People expressed their memorable experiences enjoyed at Holy Rosary Hall in a conversation on the Historic Thorold Facebook page. Here are just a few of the comments retrieved from the Facebook comments.
My father E J (Gene) Moccio was chairman of the building committee. Louis Lizzotti was also on the committee . The two of them spent countless hours meeting with Mike Zubrek ( architect ) and the many contractors. They were tireless overseers.
Paul Moccio
Some time in the late 70s I put all my tickets into the wooden-cased backgammon game at the Holy Rosary Penny Sale – and won it!”
Claire D’Intino
Our band Catwalk was formed in the basement back in 80-81.
Paul Muelli
Our wedding reception at Holy Rosary and so many memories, the feast, trivia, weddings, anniversaries, penny sales great great memories.
Nella Dekker
Playing in the mini gym on side of building. It was awesome they had all kinds of climbing things and equipment so much fun as a kid and we cant forget the Italian feasts.
Mary DelGobbo
The small hall was the location of many different parties for us over the years.
Vincent Sirianni
I had my baby shower there in 2010. Here are 2 pictures of the kitchen.
Tracey Standing Loder
My parents wedding reception was here 54 years ago!
Frances Pirillo-Panucci
We have had family Christmas parties in the small hall.
Debbie Pisano-Coppard
Read more comments and view some photos shared on Facebook in this very interesting conversation about the rich history of Holy Rosary Hall. Click here
Join the Friends in Giving Back to Holy Rosary Hall
For almost 60 years, the hall has given us all so much enjoyment. In 2020, it is the year for us to give back to the hall. As an aging building, the time has come for the revitalization of the hall. A new roof is required; a renovation of the washrooms is a top priority, and the hall’s kitchen needs an upgrade to meet modern standards.
Although a rental charge is paid by groups using the hall, the lofty requirements of the revitalization compel the Friends to reach out for an appeal to the community. Kindly help us revive the hall for future generations. Please stay tuned for an announcement to be made soon by the Friends of Holy Rosary Hall; rebuilding a place for unity in the community.