Giovanni Caboto Loggia No. 8 Calgary
- May 19
- 3 min read
The Giovanni Caboto Loggia became a cornerstone of Calgary’s Italian community, built on mutual aid, tradition, and unity.
Italians honoured Giovanni Caboto by naming their organizations after him. They also saw themselves as explorers, building new lives in the country he discovered.
As more immigrants arrived and the First World War came to an end, the Loggia Giovanni Caboto No. 8 was officially formalized in Calgary in 1918 as a branch of the Ordine Indipendenti Fiori d’Italia, an Italian mutual-aid organization headquartered in Fernie, British Columbia. Membership dues collected in Calgary were forwarded to Fernie. The formation of the Loggia reflected the growing Italian presence in Calgary and the desire to organize mutual support within the community.
The Loggia was created primarily for charitable and philanthropic purposes. Meetings opened with the words “Si apre la riunione con cooperazione e pace” (“The meeting opens with cooperation and peace”), a phrase that expressed the values guiding the organization. This tradition continued through generations and remained in use until 1974.
Members paid monthly dues, which were used mainly to assist fellow members and their families during times of illness or death, providing financial relief and collective support in moments of hardship. In an era when social services were limited, the Loggia served as an essential safety net within Calgary’s Italian-Canadian community.
In its early years, meetings were held in members’ homes, reflecting the close-knit nature of the organization. As membership and activities expanded, the Loggia acquired a garage located at 313 Edmonton Trail NE. Having a permanent location allowed the organization to support a wider range of activities that strengthened community ties, preserved language and traditions, and enriched the social life of Calgary’s Italian community.
Over the years, members organized countless picnics, concerts, parades, fundraisers, social gatherings, and, of course, music-filled celebrations.
In 1917, Antonio Milano organized a patriotic meeting within the Italian community to raise relief funds for Italians whose homes had been destroyed during the German invasion. More than $300 was raised — a significant amount for the time.
10th Anniversary of Calgary Giovanni Caboto Loggia No. 8 (1928)
Members of the Loggia wore a double-sided commemorative medal representing their membership and pride in the organization.
In 1927, within the Lodges and Societies section of the Calgary Stampede Parade, the Giovanni Caboto Loggia presented a float depicting Giovanni Caboto and his son Sebastian aboard the first ship to land in Canada in 1497. The float won first place and received a $25 prize that year.
Shouldice Park became a favorite location for community picnics. One gathering in 1928 attracted more than 200 attendees.
At its height, the Loggia included approximately 85 families. The Giovanni Caboto Loggia meeting minute book from 1928 to 1949 still exists today, with all entries handwritten in Italian. Included are the first two pages of the book dated July 28, 1928, showing the signatures of members in attendance.
The Giovanni Caboto Loggia No. 8 became a cornerstone of Italian life in Calgary, fostering friendship, mutual aid, and a strong sense of belonging. Through charitable works, social gatherings, and collective support, members helped one another overcome early hardships while proudly preserving their language, traditions, and shared heritage. The Loggia played a vital role in helping Italian immigrants settle into their new lives in Canada.
Unfortunately, the Great Depression beginning in 1929 hit Calgary hard. High unemployment and economic hardship led to declining membership, as many families could no longer afford dues. Despite this, members continued helping one another as much as possible.
In 1933, much of the Italian community formed the Associazione Italo-Canadese. Many Loggia members continued participating in both organizations, and newspaper articles from the period often used the two names interchangeably.
The first Loggia building, 1925, at 313 3 Ave NE.