THE District of North Vancouver Firefighters Charitable Society has committed $50,000 to the Burn Fund Centre, scheduled to be built at 23rd and Main Street in Vancouver.
The funding, which was mainly raised through small donations over the past three years, is earmarked for the $13-million centre's garden refuge.
Once realized, the centre should be similar to Canuck Place, according to Capt. Grant Smith. "It's going to basically be a place for burn survivors to recover and also a place for parents to stay," he says.
The burn centre, slated to be located at 3891 Main St., would include eight suites for patients as well as rooms provided for family members who would otherwise be staying in a hotel. There are also plans to include a research laboratory for clinical trials to study the way skin heals following a burn, according to Smith.
Plans for the centre include a 3,800 square foot storefront. "Through all our fundraising, which encompasses a lot of different things, from hockey tournaments to car washes, we give all money to the burn fund, but right now all our money's been earmarked for this burn building because we're trying to get it going," Smith said. "We're getting closer and there's hope for the next year or two we're going to break ground. Hopefully this year if we get enough fundraising."
Money was also raised through Hi-Lights Christmas Light Display at Park and Tilford, as well as the Cooking with the Firemen fundraiser at the Hungry Oven cooking school.
Smith, who also serves as the B.C. Professional Firefighters burn fund representative for the District of North Vancouver, said he's seen the long-term effects of severe burns.
"Burns are scars that last a lifetime. Especially when you're a kid and growing up, it's really hard," he said. "We want to help the survivors and part of our job is . . . we educate kids so they don't get burned in the future."
The firefighters' charitable society is planning to host a four-on-four hockey tournament March 29 at Ice Sports North Shore on Mount Seymour Parkway.
