A building that has hosted more than 10,000 events — from birthdays to bridal showers to funerals — is now the official home of St. John Ambulance in Greater Sudbury.
On Aug. 29, the Lougheed family passed the keys to the former St. Clements Church to St. John Ambulance, where it will administer training and community services. Now named the St. John Ambulance Lougheed Centre, it will carry on a history that dates back to the 1950s.
“Today is a celebration,” said Geoffrey Lougheed, chancellor of St. John Ambulance Canada. “It's great that St. John has a new centre, but from a Lougheed family perspective, it's wonderful that they have a home that will continue a legacy of giving and of serving in the community.”
The relationship between the Lougheed family and St. John Ambulance spans decades. Family patriarch Gerry Sr. was the first ambulance operator to say people in his position should be trained, and that they should have basic CPR skills.
“That sounds like an odd thing to say today, as paramedics are able to administer medication roadside, but mom and dad were the pioneers,” he said. “They were there before anyone else to say we need to move in a better direction to save lives.
“Having these skills, the knowledge of basic CPR, can literally save someone's life, maybe a family member, and that's why it's not hard for us to buy into and believe what's done and what will continue to be done in this building.”
The Lougheed relationship with the former church dates back to the 1950s.
“In 1952, the first friends my parents had in Sudbury were at St. Clements Church, and they developed a great friendship over the years,” said Gerry. “When the decision was made to close the church, it created great consternation about what would be the future of the building, and through our family, it became their namesake as a community centre — the Gerry and Marguerite Lougheed Centre.
“My parents would be elated today. The fact more than 10,000 events were held here speaks not to the brick and mortar, but to the people component of the building, and as we turn over stewardship to St. John Ambulance, we know that will be sustained in creating a better future for Sudbury.”
It was a lot of work to get to this point, said Geoffrey.
“It went extremely well, and it isn't work when you really enjoy what you do,” he said. “This facility was the right job for the Lougheed family. It's been our absolute pleasure over the last 15 years, and we look forward to having the next generation enjoy it as we have in serving the community.”
People volunteer with St. John Ambulance for the right reasons, he said.
“You aren't going to get a lot of accolades as a volunteer, but you make a real difference to the people in the community.”
For its part, St. John Ambulance said it's grateful to the Lougheed family for the largest donation in the organization's history. Not only did the family give St. John Ambulance the deed to the building, the Lougheed Foundation donated $100,000 to help renovate the building to better suit the organization's needs.
The gift of this beautiful new training centre will give our volunteers a wonderful place to train, and in turn, we will be able to expand to meet the growing needs of the Greater Sudbury community,” said Beth Smith, chair of community services for St. John Ambulance Northeastern Ontario.
“The generosity of the Lougheed family has benefited every volunteer, from the children in our junior and youth programs to the adults who make up our Medical First Response program.”
Having officially handed over the keys, it doesn't mean the Lougheed family's presence will no longer be felt in the building. Of course, the name is in the new title, and their parents' presence is very much felt in the building, with dozens of photos and other decorations that represent different aspects of the Lougheed family.
“When we signed the contract, there were provisions that mom and dad's presence would continue to be felt,” he said.
During the grand opening event, a number of awards and plaques of recognition were handed out including the St. John Ambulance Medallion for Excellence in Philanthropy, presented to Gerry Lougheed Jr., Geoffrey Lougheed and Colette Lougheed, and the Grand Prior's Award, presented to William McCormick. Plaques of recognition were presented to United Way, Prosperi Co. Ltd. and Simplified IT.
