LIKE the Dark Knight's Batcave or Superman's Fortress of Solitude, the "superheroes" of North Shore Rescue now have a lair to call home.
North Shore Rescue is inviting the community to come check out their new digs at a special grand opening celebration on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
"This facility is for the community, and we want people to come and see our team, see the infrastructure, meet team members, understand through our guided tours how our team works," said Tim Jones, NSR team leader.
The base at 61 Bewicke Ave., dubbed "the Embassy," will be used for training and logistics but it could also function as a command centre to support municipal efforts in the event of a disaster.
Beyond the volunteer-guided interactive tours, the event promises a cook shack operated by the Lynn Valley Lions Club, a dedication ceremony at 1 p.m., and a draw for a 20-minute helicopter ride for four, donated by Talon Helicopters.
NSR's leadership found themselves scrambling for a new base when they learned in 2011 they would have to vacate their old location at the City of North Vancouver works yard without being included in the plans for the new one.
The team hit the bricks lobbying all three local governments on the North Shore to help find a new home - ideally one centrally located so the team converge on the site quickly in an emergency.
"We had a tremendous amount of support from (city Mayor) Darrell Mussatto. I firmly believe his leadership really brought everything together and got all the municipalities talking," Jones said.
The city negotiated with developer Darwin Properties for a land swap that would include a new base for NSR at the new city works yard.
The base's structure cost $1.2 million, $900,000 of which came from the three municipalities, and another $200,000 to get it outfitted, for which the team sought out more donations. Included in that was $250,000 from the West Vancouver-based Charros Foundation.
"It was just a real joy to be part of something that has worked out so well and work with people who were really champions for this." Jones said.
"We're very proud to have this facility and the way it took form. We want to share that with the community."
Fundraising for NSR's operations and gear is a constant struggle, Jones said, and every donation is appreciated but one in particular recently stood out.
The North Vancouver Kiwanis chipped in $2,500 to buy life-saving lightweight blankets for the team, which Jones noted as important since service clubs like the Kiwanis, Rotary, and Lions are also facing struggles in maintaining membership and revenues to give back to the community.
