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| THE MONTREAL GREEK TIMES GOPHER NEWS SERVICE |
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March 2026
Hellenic Community board hears call to preserve archives of Greek
organizations
(GIF) article photo
By Dimitri Papadopoulos
The Board of Directors of the Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal
convened March 3 in the Mikri Vouli chamber at the organization’s
headquarters on Wilderton Avenue, where the evening’s proceedings
combined institutional oversight with reflection on the history and
future of the Greek presence in Canada. Directors and administrators
opened the session with a guest presentation on Greek migration research
before turning to financial updates, governance matters and new
initiatives linked to the organization’s 120th anniversary year. The
meeting gathered board members, staff and observers for discussions that
ranged from heritage preservation and educational collaboration to
operational finances and the modernization of the community’s
technological infrastructure.
The evening began with the board welcoming Dr. Anastasiades, a scholar
involved in the national Immigrec research initiative on the Greek
diaspora. Addressing directors, he described the project as an effort to
document the historical experience of Greek migration to Canada and to
connect academic research with the living memory of the community. The
project, which began in 2016, has already conducted 433 interviews with
Greek immigrants who arrived between the 1950s and 1970s, generating
roughly 600 hours of recorded testimony and a growing digital archive
accessible to the public.
Dr. Anastasiades told the board that the initiative has also catalogued
Greek Canadian newspapers dating back to the 1960s and documented
roughly 10,000 advertisements placed by Greek businesses across the
country, as well as mapping about 16,000 historical migration addresses
derived from telephone directory records. The project’s digital museum,
he explained, currently receives about 1,000 visits per month from
roughly 500 individual users. “The most important element is the young
people involved,” he said, explaining that students working with the
program include third generation Greek Canadians as well as newcomers
and non Greek participants who are learning about the community and its
history. “These are the people who will continue the work of preserving
this history.” He also described a request directed to community
organizations to help identify archival materials held by Greek
associations. In many cases, he noted, historical records are lost when
organizations dissolve or when the last officers pass away.
Digitization efforts can preserve these materials while returning the
originals to their owners.
The presentation provided cultural context for a meeting otherwise
focused heavily on operational matters. Directors proceeded through
reports from various secretariats outlining activities connected to the
HCGM’s 120th anniversary year. Among recent events was the February 8
luncheon titled “Our Roots, Our Journey,” which brought together members
of Montreal’s earliest Greek families for a reflection on the beginnings
of organized Hellenic life in the city. According to the executive vice
president’s report, the event formed part of a broader commemorative
program recognizing the organization’s legacy and the role of
institutions such as schools, churches and cultural organizations in
maintaining Greek language and identity in Quebec.
Financial matters formed the central portion of the board’s
deliberations. The finance committee reported that the organization
continues to await a response from the Bank of Montreal regarding
documentation submitted as part of the ongoing restructuring of HCGM
debt obligations. The bank has confirmed that all requested material has
been received and is under review while the finance team prepares
updated cash flow projections extending two additional years.
The treasurer’s report also provided operational details on recent
activities. The anniversary luncheon at Hotel 10 generated $12,200
in revenue including donations and incurred $11,600 in operating
costs, resulting in a modest surplus of $600. The finance
committee also reported in kind contributions, including 24
bottles of olive oil donated for the event by Messara Foods Inc.
valued at approximately $400.
Looking ahead, the community’s youth programming continues with the
Youth Wave Party scheduled for Feb. 28 at Embassy Plaza in Laval.
Organizers projected sales of 400 tickets at $35 each, for potential
revenue of $14,000, alongside $8,000 in sponsorship commitments.
Estimated operating costs of $14,000 would produce a projected surplus
of approximately $8,000 once all revenues are confirmed.
Directors also approved a resolution authorizing the signing of a
service level agreement with the company Findjoo to implement a
membership management portal. The agreement establishes service
commitments including a target monthly uptime of 99.9 per cent
for the platform’s containerized applications and databases, as
part of the HCGM’s broader effort to modernize member services
and digital infrastructure.
Administrative reports also noted recent staffing additions within the
community’s head office operations and ongoing work to strengthen
communications and membership engagement, including the hiring of a
content creator and social media manager as well as a project
coordinator within the membership department.
The meeting concluded after questions from board members, community
participants and media representatives, with the next regular session of
the Board of Directors scheduled for April 14, 2026.
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