Founding Date:	February 14, 1980
Address:	767 Simcoe Road Bradford, Ontario L3Z 2B9
Telephone:	905-775-3742

A real gem in one of the most Portuguese cities in Canada

Audio Version:

Bradford is one of the most Portuguese cities in Canada with close to 10,000 Luso-Canadians. We are the city’s largest ethnic group. The numerous establishments on the downtown stretch illustrate our presence here but it is the Portuguese Cultural Centre, however, the main location for the community to gather and to celebrate its traditions, its culture, and its homogeneity in this region. 

Founded in 1980, the Portuguese Club, as it is affectionately called, sits on 16-hectares of land on the north shore of the Holland Canal. The journey began in late 1979 when a group of men gathered to raise funds for a Portuguese Centre in Bradford. The event was a success and, on February 14, 1980, the Portuguese Cultural Centre of Bradford was registered as an organization with the Government of Ontario. The first President was Arlindo Araujo. 

The acquisition of the land and the construction of the present building were accomplished in distinct stages. It began with the group of founders who helped the association grow with the gathering of new members. It followed by another group of men who went door to door to raise funds with the objective to purchase a plot of land where a Centre could be built. Led by then President Alfredo Botelho, the Board of Directors devised a plan that would help the Cultural Centre take a decisive step toward purchasing property and beginning construction of a hall. They approached several families in the city who each agreed to lend $1,000 to the association. In total, between 30 and 40 families agreed to the loan. This sum was crucial not only to the purchase of the land but also to the construction of the new hall. 

During this process, the association continued to organize events for its members and supporters in different halls around the city…and it continued to grow in numbers.

In 1987, the hall had been built but the inauguration had to wait until some construction details were worked out. The inauguration was eventually held and led by President Alfredo Botelho, who had initiated the project. 

Currently, the organization continues to celebrate the popular festivities at its hall, although it has suffered with the Covid-19 pandemic. It also rents the hall to other groups and organizations.

With files from Luso-Ontario Magazine, 2008

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