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History of
Our Club
Fifty Year History of the Rotary
Club of West Vancouver
The
Rotary Club of West Vancouver was inaugurated on Monday, March 30, 1953
at The Drum (currently the Beach House). Sponsored by the Vancouver
Rotary Club, the first President was Rupert Harrison, Municipal Clerk of
West Vancouver. Other officers elected were: Russell Richards, Jim
Brown, Jack Clowes, Harry Gregson, and the new Directors were Victor
Blanchflower, Roger Gauthier, Frank Barnard, Don McMillan. In the last
30 years we have met at the old Frank Baker’s Restaurant, the Ambleside
Inn and the Hollyburn Club, each for approximately 10 years.
Rupert
Harrison was still an active and a valuable member of the Rotary Club of
West Vancouver when the club celebrated it’s Golden Anniversary in 2003,
and maintained a perfect attendance for over 50 years.
During
its 50+ years of operation, the RCWV has maintained its International
Motto “Service Above Self”. With this in mind, the Club has always
played a major role in the community affairs. They provided the first
West Vancouver Ambulance in 1954 and the members were volunteers who
were required to acquire a first aid certificate and took turns on call
around the clock as ambulance drivers who operated the vehicle.
The
Capilano Senior Citizens Housing Unit on Esquimalt Avenue was built
through the efforts of the Rotary Club of West Vancouver who were
instrumental in raising the necessary funds to complete the building.
After 40 years of service and careful maintenance the Club is advised
that the present market value of this facility is over $10,000,000.00.
Five members of the Club continue to serve on the executive committee of
this Society.
The
Rotary Club of West Vancouver is also responsible for the founding of
the West Vancouver Historical Society in 1980. As part of Community Day,
1981, the Club charted the last operational West Vancouver Ferry for a
“Memory Cruise” and hired a brass band and a piper for entertainment and
signed up the Society’s first 100 members before they got off the boat.
Although the Club later stepped aside after the election of the first
officers, three members, Doris Lewis, Hugh Johnston, and Rupert Harrison
served on the executive committee of the Society for several years.
Other
activities that have resulted in the benefit of West Vancouver have
included funding for the Lions Bay Sea Scouts, the West Vancouver Boy
Scouts, “Jaws of Life’ for the West Vancouver Fire Department, the Girl
Guides Activity Center, the Horseshoe Bay Propeller Fountain, Rotary
Lane, Klahanie Park Housing Society and the picnic/lookout area at
Rotary Bluff on Hollyburn Mountain. We also have a joint effort with the
other three North Shore Clubs in maintaining and enhancing the traffic
circle at the north end of the Lions Gate Bridge.
Up to
the present time, the Rotary Club of West Vancouver’s direct
contribution of nearly $300,000.00 has succeeded in leveraging over
$25,000,000.00 in housing amenities and other facilities within the
community.
In
addition to the Community benefits, the Rotary Club of West Vancouver
continues to assist in projects for the International Community. These
have included efforts in Swaziland, Liberia, Kiev, Tanzania, and El
Salvador.
Major
funding for the Rotary projects comes from our annual Sea Wall Run/Walk
on the last Sunday in May, the annual Wine/Food Festival at Park Royal
Shopping Centre and the Gaming Commission of the Province of British
Columbia.
The
Rotary Club of West Vancouver meets every Tuesday at the Taso’s
Restaurant on Marine Drive at 6:15 p.m. Visitors are welcome.
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