A little History:
The Tancook Recreation Centre
The Tancook Community Centre had it's official opening on June 26, 1976. The building measures 40 X 60 feet and cost $55,000. Financing for the building was obtained from a LIP grant and another grant from the department of recreation. Local carpenters built the structure. Some were paid and others volunteered. The wiring and plumbing was done by Gurney Baker. Everyone who donated money or other help was invited to the ribbon cutting ceremony. A special ferry trip on the MV Shoreham was done on that particular Saturday. Jim Clothier was the President of the Tancook Island Recreation Centre and Master of ceremonies for the evening. A cheque was presented that evening from John MacLean (Bridgewater Recreational Commission) in the amount of $1000.The South Shore Liberal leader at the time was Jim Kineley. The Conservative MLA was Bruce Cochran. They held the ribbon while Jimmy Clothier, the skipper of the Shoreham Ferry cut the ribbon. Jimmy was a prime asset in getting the centre here.2016 marks the 40th anniversary of the building.
Big Tancook Island Emergency Response Association (BTIERA)
The 911 organization started January 1998. It is called the Big Tancook Island Emergency Response Association. It used to be called the Sheila Christian Emergency Response Association. Sheila Christian donated money that started the 911 service on Tancook. If it wasn't for her generosity we would not have our medical service today.
The purpose of the association is to provide emergency medical care. It also provides covered transportation to the island ferry or the medical transport helicopter in event of a medical emergency on the island.
The B.T.I.E.R.A. has an ambulance supplied with modern equipment.
The most important part of the B.T.I.E.R.A. are the volunteers. Some islanders are Medical First Responders (MFRs) and others are trained in first aid. Other volunteers are involved in fund raising, driving the vehicle, preparing the helicopter landing site and waiting for the arrival of the medical helicopter. The volunteers carry cell phones but used to carry pagers.
In good weather the medical helicopter can land on this field in about 15 minutes. Flying from Tancook Island to Halifax is about 12 minutes.
The ferry is most commonly used for emergencies. We have lights to put on the cones nearby to help guide the helicopter in.
Congratulations to "OneHorseOpen" on being the first to find!