The Cooper Family will be investing $40 million into two locations on the Kamloops North Shore.
The first is at 1200 – 8th street, – the location of the former Bowlertime and Dirty Jersey pub, which will become the new ‘Cooper Centre’.
It will house a Tim Hortons and a day care. It will also be the home of the next two Foundation recipients – Kamloops Search and Rescue and the BC Search Dog Association.
“There’s going to be a lot of work, a lot of planning still,” said KSAR Search Manager Alan Hobler. “Construction is underway and we do have some preliminary plans. We still have some fundraising ahead for us to do, we still need furniture and additional equipment, but all those things shouldn’t be too hard to find.”
According to KSAR vice-president Anthony Stahn, this will be their first permanent location since inception in the 1970’s.
“We are at a loss for words over the generosity the Cooper Family Foundation is showing our team,” Stahn said. “This is by far the largest donation we have ever received.”
Hobler later pointed out it’s likely the biggest ever donation to any Search and Rescue team across British Columbia.
Among other things, the new 11,780 sq. ft. facility will host a 3,000 sq. ft. canine physical training centre, a Regional Command Centre, a 40 plus person lecture hall, a board room, a decompression station, and a 3,500 sq. ft. bay.
“[KSAR] is an organization that is out doing amazing things for people without asking for anything more,” said Cooper Companies President Tod Cooper. “So today, we’re recognizing Kamloops Search and Rescue and the BC Search Dog Association. We’re extremely honoured and we feel privileged to be able to provide them with a permanent home.”
In all, $10 million will be invested at this location, while the other $30 million will be invested at second, larger project in Brocklehurst – Catalpa Community, named after one of 22 trees on the site.
That’s a new 9-acre, 73 housing development which the Cooper family says will meet the needs of first time home owners, professionals, retirees, snow birds, and single parents.
Foundation CEO Nelly Dever says $10,000 from the sale of each of the 73 homes will be donated to the Cooper Family Foundation, for a total of $730,000.
Dever adds 73 businesses will also sponsor the Catalpa community, and they will each donate a prize valued between $1,000 and $20,000.
The family will match the value of all prizes and donate the money to the Foundation, with the goal being to raise $1-million between the prizes and the sale of the houses.
Ground-breaking for the Catalpa Community is slated for the early fall of 2019.
“We have our development permit from the city and we’re already starting to get ready to put services in the ground,” Cooper added. “For the next year, we’ll be focusing on delivering KSAR’s space and advancing the project on Ord Road.”
He’s expecting the housing development to be completed in roughly 42 months, while the Cooper Centre should be operational win about 12 to 18 months.
.@KamloopsSAR say this is probably the largest ever donation ever to a #BC Search and Rescue team.
Says when the banners, seen in the above tweet, was unveiled, it was tearjerking. #Kamloops @RadioNLNews pic.twitter.com/ceB7UdQdiA
— Victor Mario Kaisar (@supermario_47) May 13, 2019