Let's Breathe

This building on Oak Street is known as Construction House. It was started in 1928 and its purpose was to be the first Jewish Community centre. It was designed to be built in two phases.

The first phase was built in 1928 and the second phase was to include 600-seat theatre and a gymnasium. That part was never built though because the depression halted most construction and by the time the depression was over, the Jewish community had moved. A new centre was built at 41st and Oak.

In 1904 it was an acceptable, yet sad, fact of life that diseases like tuberculosis could take a person's life. It was a tarnish on the bright and glowing future of this new province, British Columbia.

In 1907 the BC Anti-Tuberculosis was formed and in July of that year they purchased the Fortune Farm at Tranquille. The society transformed the facility into an institution to care for those with tuberculosis. The facility operated on that from November 1907 until April 1921.

On February 23, 1923 the Tranquille Hospital was signed over to the Province of British Columbia. The province would now be responsible for the care of the patients and everything associated with the institution.

For eighteen months the BC Anti-Tuberculosis was inactive but on October 30, 1922 the Tranquille Tuberculosis Publicity Society was formed. The name was changed to the Tranquille Tuberculosis Society  then on November9, 1936 it became the British Columbia Tuberculosis Society. On June 27, 1964 the name was once again changed to the British Columbia Tuberculosis Christmas Seal Society and finally on July 27, 1978 the organization became the  British Columbia Lung Association.

I owe these people and others like them a debt of gratitude. In 2005 I was diagnosed with a rare allergy to certain birds - extrinsic allergic alveolitis - and hospitalized for a week. The dust from my pet birds got into my lungs and causing me to have problems breathing. But thanks to the research of organizations like this and the expertise of the doctor I saw at St. Paul's Hospital I was able to breath freely again. I did have to get rid of my birds and now cannot get close to any of that type but that's a small price to pay for my life.

I hope you find the beauty around you.



Karen Magill, Vancouver, BC Lung Association, Oak Street, Jewish Community Centre, Construction House, British Columbia