CHESTERMERE – In the hopes of kickstarting their fundraising efforts for their fire truck restoration project, the Chestermere Historical Society will be holding an online auction.
Going up for bid will be numerous Calgary Flames items, including a signed Cory Sarich jersey and a hat signed by Alex Tanguay. There are also autographed prints of Lee Stempniak, Curtis Glencross and Mikael Backlund. All of the items have been donated by the Calgary Flames organization, and 100 per cent of the proceeds will go toward the restoration of the fire truck.
Back in October, the keys to Chestermere’s first fire truck were handed over to members of the Chestermere Historical Foundation, but because it had been out of service and stored outside for a number of years, it is in need of repair. When completed, foundation members are hoping to make it a part of all events in the community, and use it to educate people about the history of the community.
The 1952 Ford was used from 1979 to 1981 by members of the Chestermere Volunteer Fire Department, which was started by Wayne Paquette and Roy Berg. It began as the Volunteer Fire Protection group, and consisted of around a dozen active volunteers.
The old truck was only used for a few years before it was replaced by a newer tanker truck, but it was still regarded as the first ever fire truck in the community. Luckily, the truck was generously donated to the Historical Foundation by the Meier family.
On Jan. 9, foundation members gathered together to give the truck it’s first official cleaning, and on Jan. 14, it made it’s first public appearance at the Chestermere Winter Festival.
Foundation member Jen Peddlesden said that many people came by to see the truck at Winterfest, and that they were interested in it’s history and the restoration project. They were able to collect some cash donations, but are now finding new ways to hopefully raise some funds to purchase the necessary materials to fully restore the truck and get it back on the road.
The Calgary Flames items are already up for bid online. The auction can be found on Facebook under “Chestermere Historical Foundation – Fire Truck.” There is also a link to the auction page on the Anchor Weekly’s Facebook page.
The auction will close on Feb. 29. Anyone who does not use Facebook can still get in on the auction by calling Vince Young at 403-819-4117. The Historical Foundation is looking for additional photos of the original fire truck, particularly side-view photos, to help with the restoration process. If you or anyone you know might have these photos, or for anyone who is interested in helping out with the restoration project, including sponsoring it or donating parts, contact Jen Peddlesden at 403-272-3764.
For more information, go to chestermerehistory.org.
