Nanaimo Search & Rescue's overhauled home base features more bays, training and office space. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

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VIDEO: Nanaimo SAR unveils new, spacious headquarters

Nov 4, 2021 | 12:57 PM

NANAIMO —Patience and persistence paid off for Nanaimo Search and Rescue.

Following years of planning and uncertainty, the invaluable non-profit group staged a grand opening for its headquarters on Fourth St. on Thursday, Nov. 4.

Tours were held to show off the expanded and vastly upgraded longtime home of the organization, which now responds to about 50 wilderness and urban searches annually for people in distress.

Nanaimo SAR president Carly Trobridge said having a vastly superior home base is a game-changer for the organization.

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“It’s such a monumental day that I’m not even sure it has really sunk in yet to be honest. It has been a labour of love for the past six years and probably the single largest project a lot of us have worked on throughout our lives.”

The seismically sound hall features additional bays to house all of the agency’s vehicles and a boat. A full training centre and offices to coordinate search missions make up much of the main floor.

Trobridge added having all of their equipment secured in one place is leading to faster and more organized responses.

She referenced their first call-out in their overhauled facility occurred over the Halloween weekend.

“There was just so much ease to it. We were able to pull vehicles out, we neededd our boat for example on the weekend, we didn’t have to lower it from the ceiling. Our response time was much faster, it was much more organized.”

Deputy chief of operations and search manager Eugene Touchette said having peace of mind they’ll be in a top notch facility for many years puts the organization at ease.

“That’s the biggest legacy of this project is to not have to be continually fundraising for a safe and consistent building,” Touchette said.

City councillors voted in June to fast-track more than $1.3 million from its 2022 budget to this year to complete numerous upgrades sooner.

Nanaimo SAR members were able to work out of the facility while crews conducted the upgrades.

The project included replacing the deteriorating parking lot of the facility, which formally served as the Harewood Activity Centre and an old fire hall.

Solidifying a long-term home base for Nanaimo SAR was an ongoing effort for about six years.

Nanaimo SAR explored building a new location at City-owned land on Nanaimo Lakes Rd., however further investigation revealed the plan didn’t make financial sense.

In 2019, a 25-year co-management agreement was struck between Nanaimo SAR and the City for the non-profit organization to operate out of the Fourth St. location.

The cost of revamping Nanaimo SAR’s home base is split between the non-profit group and the City.

An anonymous donation of $1 million to Nanaimo SAR covered most of its portion of the costs.

The project came in under budget at $2.5 million.

Nanaimo SAR responded to 47 tasks in 2021 as of Thursday, Nov 4, while it received a record 57 calls for help last year.

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes