Copper Cliff Italian Club celebrates 80 years

The steamy, fragrant kitchen at the Copper Cliff Italian Club is packed with chattering women — and a handful of men — busily assembling the club's famous lasagnas.

In charge of this boisterous group of volunteers is the club's kitchen co-ordinator, Ron Falcioni. Falcioni was born in Copper Cliff's Little Italy community in 1947, where houses are built close together just outside Vale (formerly Inco) property and the superstack looms large.

The Copper Cliff Italian Club was the centre of the neighbourhood in those days. Falcioni said he spent many an evening as a teen bowling with his friends at the club's bowling alley.

“We acted as a family, actually,” said Falcioni, who has long since moved to Chelmsford, but still belongs to the club that acted as the backdrop to his youth. “We knew everybody. Everybody knew everybody's business up here.”

The Copper Cliff Italian Club is about to celebrate its 80th birthday, and members are throwing a big birthday bash on Oct. 17. The day starts at 10 a.m. with kids' activities and free bowling. A spaghetti and meatball lunch takes place from 12 to 3 p.m. (police, paramedics and firemen get in for free). Pasta, crostoli and other Italian treats will be for sale.

A gala evening featuring a three-course Italian dinner takes place starting at 5 p.m. There will be entertainment from Frankie Valli, Frank Sinatra and Elvis tribute artists, as well as Italian tenor Peter Marino.

The club was built in 1935, at a time when Italians were forbidden from using other Copper Cliff recreational facilities, such as the Copper Cliff Club, Falcioni said.

There was a definite divide in the community in those days, he said. If youth from the other side of town tried to cross the railroad tracks delineating Little Italy's boundaries, there were sometimes fights.

Most families didn't have vehicles, so Little Italy residents needed their own community centre. The club was built on the site of an old church on Craig Street, which the men dismantled. It's not uncommon for people who have moved away from Little Italy or who trace their roots to the community to visit.

“They'll come and say 'My grandfather helped build this club',” said the club's general manager, Marika Manson.

“They bring their kids and grandkids here because it's a part of heritage. There's some very sound history here, and people are proud of it.”

Today, the Copper Cliff Italian Club is a non-profit with an active catering and banquet hall business and weekly pasta lunches staffed by the aforementioned volunteers. It also has bowling and bocce leagues.

But many of the founding members have passed away, and those who remain are aging. Long gone are cultural tensions — people of any background or who live elsewhere in the city are welcome to join.

“Anyone can come and be a member,” said Marika Manson, the club's general manager. “We want new blood.”

To purchase tickets to the anniversary gala and show, which cost $50 in advance and $60 at the door, phone Manson at 705-988-0001.