Emergency crews were called around 11 a.m., Monday, to investigate after a vehicle struck the southeast corner of the Bradford legion branch, leaving a gaping hole and exposing the inside of the legion's banquet hall.
No one was inside the building at the time the incident occurred and no serious injuries were reported. However, the driver of the vehicle was taken to the hospital as a precaution. South Simcoe police are investigating the cause.
Bradford legion president Tammy Paglia said one of the legion members came to seed the grass in the facility's backyard and discovered a fire truck and police crew along with the car that struck the building and the driver still at the scene.
Paglia said the driver was an older woman who was pretty "shaken up" from the incident.
"We have no idea what happened," said Paglia, who was stunned by the damage. "Not your typical Monday, that's for sure."
Paglia said this is the worst damage the legion has encountered, aside from a pipe burst and small kitchen fire many years ago.
A member from R&F Construction was on site Monday afternoon to evaluate the structural damage and to do some "emergency clean-up" of both the exterior and interior of the building.
"We're likely going to have to get a structural engineer involved," said Ron Korczynski, who was representing the insurance company from R&F Construction. "You can see the front and side of the building cracking from the impact."
Damage like this can typically take a month or more to repair, Korczynski said, but until an engineer can come and properly determine the scope of work involved, an R&F Construction team will board up the wall so it's secure and no one can enter the building.
The banquet hall had been renovated in the summer of 2019. Legion members have been instructed not to enter the south end of the building until the damage has been properly assessed by an engineer.
Anyone who has any information about the crash is asked to contact South Simcoe police at 905-775-3311.
