Saturna Fire Department No. 1

Saturna Fire Department No. 1

"John thinks this picture is probably from the early summer of 1970 as the doors aren't on yet & they were put on by John, Barry Crooks and Tom Cowan in the winter of 1971 the day that his Uncle Bill was drowned. Our family donated the property and the whole community pulled together with donations and fund raisers of chicken with corn barbecues that took place right in front of this original fire hall. Chuck Bavis made the chicken barbecue from an old hospital bed frame with cables so that you could crank the wire frame up and down from the wood fire depending on how much heat was needed. This barbecue would cook 40 or 50 chicken quarters at once. The corn, which was in a large wire basket that could hold 40 or 50 heads, was lowered into the water, and boiled in a 45 gallon barrel with an open fire underneath. We still have the basket. People ate on paper plates on their laps sitting on benches made from long planks from John & Barry's sawmill and rounds of wood to hold up the planks. Beer and wine were available served from buckets full of ice. A good time was had by all. The first pig barbecue held on Saturna took place here as well and became a popular twice a year fund raiser for the fire department. Later, as it grew in popularity, it was moved to the Saturna Community Hall and now takes place at the Saturna Recreation Centre. See the picture hanging on the wall in the Saturna Community Hall of John Money, Barry Crooks and Donald Davidson butchering the first pig, which John raised, for that barbecue and also the picture is in the Saturna heritage archives." - Carol Money

1970

img/jpg. Photograph : cl, 8 x 10 cm.

Graphic material

2015.2.3.5