An early Christmas present towards the dream of establishing a long-term Upper Clearwater Volunteer Fire Brigade (UCVFB) base and hall is now close to becoming a reality thanks to the generosity of long-time brigade members and Upper Clearwater valley residents Fritz and Ursula Schaer.
Curtis Bjork, UCVFB interim president, made the announcement on Saturday, Nov. 30, in a statement submitted to the Clearwater Times.
“As interim president of the board of directors for the Upper Clearwater Volunteer Brigade, it is a great pleasure to announce that the brigade society is the recipient of a hugely generous donation of 10 acres of land from Fritz and Ursula Schaer.”
The land is to serve as the brigade’s new base of operations," Bjork said.
"We couldn’t have received a more perfect property, as it is centrally located in Upper Clearwater, with good road access, proximity to potential muster points for community and park evacuees, a permanent water source for filling our trucks and tanks, sufficient room for training exercises, an adjacent airstrip that can be used in emergencies and an expansive safe zone where we can shelter should there be a major wildfire surrounding the base.”
When contacted by The Times, regarding the donation of the land Ursula said they signed the transfer papers for the 10.27 acres on Nov. 6 and the value of the property currently is approximately $180,000 according to the most recent assessment.
"In our lives, Fritz and I have had the goal to always stay independent," she said. "We think our UCVFB should be independent, and we have two properties side by side so if we donate the one with 10 acres we have good neighbours and with our 30 acres we still have a nice place. Also, the fire brigade will still have the use of our hangar, airstrip (also potential for a helicopter pad) and the lake till they have their own permanent hall ready. Sandro our son in Switzerland and our daughter Corina in South Carolina agrees and they are proud of us and supportive of this decision.”
The Schaers are long-term residents of Upper Clearwater, and they know the community and Wells Gray Park very well. Ursula has served as the brigade’s dispatcher since the UCVFB was founded in 2017, a role she has filled using radio skills she developed during the decades in which she communicated with Fritz as he flew tourists on scenic flights over Wells Gray Park with their former business, Wells Gray Air which they operated for 20 years, closing it in 2014. Ursula also continued to relay to BC Wildfire Service for Fritz’s fire reports as an airborne fire lookout.
Bjork said Fritz and Ursula’s strong community spirit and generosity have inspired many Upper Clearwater residents to volunteer and contribute toward local resilience.
"Their efforts have brought a lot of improvements to the community. The donation of the brigade’s new base is another huge step toward that goal of resilience as well as helping to protect our surrounding landscape and Wells Gray Park," Bjork said.
Ursula said they are doing this for the safety of all in the valley.
"We can’t take money or property with us on our last travels in life. It’s for the good of all.”
Now that the Upper Clearwater Volunteer Fire Brigade Society is the owner of the Schaers’ donated property, Bjork said “the goal lies ahead to raise the funds for a fire hall” which the society has agreed to name Schaer Hall in honour of their benefactors.
The UCVFB is now drawing up plans for the structure and cost estimates will be made public soon according to the society interim president.
“The year 2025 is the year we have set to reach our goal for this project. We’re looking forward to pulling our efforts together in the coming year to raise the hall, and we will be very grateful for any support," Bjork said.
If you are interested in learning more about the Upper Clearwater Volunteer Fire Brigade or assisting them in their fund raising initiatives, please follow them on their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063606996693&locale=pl_PL or via email at: crbjork@gmail.com
