HISTORY OF THE SALVATION ARMY BUCHANAN LODGE

Buchanan Lodge was originally the homestead of Samuel and Sarah (Sadie) Buchanan and was donated to The Salvation Army in 1946 by Mr. Buchanan. The story began a few years before that, however.

It started when a Salvation Army band was playing on Columbia Street in New Westminster, as they often did. After the music, a young minister, Lieutenant Charles Watt, began preaching to the gathered crowd and one drunken man took offense. He actually punched  the young preacher in the mouth and damaged his teeth. While he was getting his teeth fixed, the dentist was fascinated by the story and asked if the minister might be willing to visit the wife of a close friend, who was incurably ill. He was willing and faithfully visited Sadie Buchanan throughout her last days.

As a memoriam to his wife, Mr. Buchanan gave his home and property to The Salvation Army to be used as a rest home. Renovations and extensions were made to make a home, originally called Buchanan Memorial Sunset Lodge. At first it housed 52 ladies, with two or three residents in each room. As time went on, people were reluctant to share rooms. 

Buchanan Lodge became part of the BC Government's Long Term Care Program in 1980 and provided personal immediate care to 43 residents. In 1985 the home was unionized with the Hospital Employee's Union (HEU) representing the support staff of this facility, and in 1998 with the British Columbia Nurses Union (BCNU). 

In 1993 the Lodge was demolished to make way for a new 112 multi-level complex care facility on site. The residents were moved to Royal City Manor during the construction process. In 1995 our official name became The Salvation Army Buchanan Lodge and the beautiful new building was dedicated in February of 1997.