The Venture Association

Conceived at the first Venture Reunion held in Ottawa in 1969 (click to see the original group).  The Association became official in 1979.  Anniversary Reunions have since been held every five years or so.

Full Membership    Automatically granted to all who joined HMCS Venture between 1954 and 1968 to begin training under the Venture Plan, or the Short Service Officer Plan, and all who served on Staff during those years. Payment of dues, while desirable is not a condition of full membership.

Associate membership   Granted to Ventures who have been associated with any of the post-1968 Venture training programs upon request, and upon regular payment of dues to the Venture Association.

Honorary membership   Granted from time to time by the Association Executive Committee to special friends of the Venture Association.

Dues are $10.00 per year  (normally paid five years in advance on the occasion of a quinquennial reunion).

Dues are levied for three reasons: 

  1. to conform with the requirements of the BC Societies Act
  2. to provide capital to support our award program in our effort to foster excellence in Naval Officer training at NOTC Venture
  3. to cover administrative costs, such as the bi-annual mailing of the Signal.
Dues, letters to the Editor of The Signal and any other correspondence addressed to the Association should be sent to:

Venture Association Registrar
903 - 168 Chadwick Crt.,
North Vancouver, BC, V7M 3L4 CANADA

The Venture Association's 30th Anniversary Presentation

The Venture Association, as part of the 30th Anniversary of the commissioning of HMCS Venture, presented a trophy to NOTC which had been built by Al Horner (Class of '56). The trophy is a scale half-hull shipbuilder's model of the second Venture. The hull is mahogany with the ship's lines inlaid in holly, mounted on an oak background.

The Venture Association's 40th Anniversary Presentation

The Association presented a painting to NOTC on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the commissioning of HMCS Venture. The painting, by renowned local BC artist Bo Hermanson, shows the schooner Venture under full sail. The painting was presented to Captain(N) Ken Watson, Commander MAROPS Group 4, by the then outgoing Venture Association President Ted Gibbon.

The short presentation ceremony took place on the morning of 12 September, 1994 in the presence of some 20 former Venture cadets mustered on the Venture parade square for the occasion. This sadly was the last opportunity for them to stand in front of the old buildings and march on the parade square they once had known so well and, at times, had feared so much. The old Venture buildings were vacated in November of 1994 and NOTC (Venture) was moved to Work Point Barracks in buildings previously occupied by a Battalion of the PPCLI Regiment.


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