The Friuligardens – Italina Club (Famèe Furlane of Hamilton) was founded in 1969 by Giacinto Belluz, Bruno Cudin, Amelio Gris, Romano Mauro, Fiore Riga, and Aurelio Zuccolin. The founders immigrated to the Hamilton area from the Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy, and desired to keep the traditions, culture, and language of the “Mother Land” alive. They, along with many original 1969 founding members, provided the financing and work for the first of the many structures that have followed, and incorporated the Famèe Furlane of Hamilton in 1972.

A Mass was held on August 17, 1969 at Holy Cross Church to celebrate the new organization. After that the Famee Furlane held a picnic yearly around that date to commemorate the founding.

The first picnic of the Famee Furlane Club on the property we host today occurred in the summer of 1970, shortly after the Club’s first elections on June 17, 1970, which named Amelio Gris as the first Club President. In the following year, with help from members, the first building was erected. The following year, the Famee Furlane Club of Hamilton was officially recognized by the Province of Ontario.

Over time, the grounds surrounding the Famee Furlane Clubhouse evolved into a community hub with a children’s playground and soccer field, as well as courts for tennis and bocce for all to enjoy. Over the years, the Famee Furlane of Hamilton has fostered the Furlane and Hamilton community through the F. F. Binbrook Soccer Team, the Famee Furlane Youth Club, the Friuli Earthquake Fund for the Hamilton area, the Hunters Club, the annual Children’s Christmas Party, the Golden Birthday Celebration, the Boccefila Club, and monthly Bingo.

We are proud of our Club and our heritage, and look forward to continuing to realize the vision of the founders of Famee Furlane of Hamilton: preserving the customs, language and traditions of Furlane, keeping in faith with our roots, but also reaching out to all people of Italian origin and to all others to come and join in celebrating our diversity.

Friuli is a historical region in the northeast of Italy located in what today is the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, comprising the provinces of Udine, Pordenone, and Gorizia. The people of Friuli (called Friulians, Friulans or Furlans) speak the Friulian language, which is distinct from the Italian language. Furlans are a minority population in Italy, but we have significant diaspora communities across the globe and throughout Canada. On May 6, 1976, the Friuli Earthquake (or Terremoto del Friuli) took the lives 990 Furlans, injured thousands and left over 150,000 homeless. While this event was devastating, it also highlighted the strength and community of the Furlan people.

The Friuli flag traces back to the Friulian State under the control of the Patriarch of Aqulieia from 1077 to 1420 AD. According to a legend the symbol of the flag, an eagle, comes from the name of the town of Aquileia (from the latin aquila). Stories tell that an eagle showed the first inhabitants the place where the city had to be founded.