A steel frame and little else has been built at Arrowsmith Search and Rescue's new home base beside the Qualicum Beach Airport. The building will hold the organization's fleet of vehicles, equipment and training space. (Facebook)

By Ian Holmes

rising costs

Arrowsmith Search and Rescue bogged down by construction costs

Oct 12, 2020 | 5:47 AM

QUALICUM BEACH — An organization of volunteers constantly answering calls for help is making an impassioned plea of its own.

Increased construction costs have widened the funding gap for Arrowsmith Search and Rescue to build and outfit its new headquarters in Qualicum Beach.

Originally budgeted at $675,000, Arrowsmith SAR president Nick Rivers said the initiative on the grounds of the Qualicum Beach Airport is now budgeted at $1.2 million.

Another $500,000 is required by Arrowsmith SAR on top of money already raised through grants and private donations.

“This year our building costs have almost doubled,” Rivers said. “The cost of the building went up $200,000, most of our building supplies have doubled, if not tripled in price.”

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The project currently consists of a shell of a building on a vacant lot.

Another $150,000 in costs were added when post disaster building requirements were enhanced last year, Rivers said.

It’s his hope their new headquarters will open next spring with as little debt carried by the volunteer-driven organization as possible.

Rivers said diverting attention from their vast responsibilities in order to raise money is exhausting.

“It’s a really taxing and challenging piece to also have to fundraise just so that we can provide the service to the community,” Rivers said.

Arrowsmith SAR’s current home located beside the Coombs-Hilliers Volunteer Fire Dept is cramped and not centrally located.

“Our new home will make sure our equipment stays in proper working order at all times, but it will speed up and make our taskings much more efficient,” Rivers said.

Arrowsmith SAR responded to more than 50 incidents in 2019, most involving lost or missing individuals in the region’s vast backcountry.

Rivers said their members spent 2,800 combined hours on tasks and dedicated a further 6,000 hours on training last year.

Online donations to support Arrowsmith SAR’s new home base can be made here.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes