By August 1945, at the end of World War II, $80,000 had been raised for the building of the centre. In 1949 Bill Henderson was elected Liberal Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands. In 1950 Henderson found federal funds through the Minister of Agriculture for the centre. But the capital funding was tied to the project being dedicated to agricultural purposes and activities as there were no federal funds for an arena. Further capital funding came from the Province of Ontario.