The Queen Alexandra archives: The dedicated women behind the Queen Alexandra Solarium’s creation
This story is part of a series that celebrates the legacy of the Queen Alexandra Centre for Children’s Health, paying tribute to the origins of Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island and the work we do today.
In the mid 1920s, Vancouver Island wasn’t an easy place to live if you had children needing specialized health care. In fact, at that time there wasn’t a single facility in the entire province dedicated to caring for the health needs of children. As a result, children with challenges like polio, clubfoot, or tuberculosis couldn’t easily access the care they desperately needed.
But, at a time in history when women were far from equal to men, it was pockets of women across British Columbia who pioneered change and fought for access to health care for Island children.
Various Women’s Institute branches across BC rallied together and the result was the creation of the Queen Alexandra Solarium for Crippled Children, an institution that would later become the Queen Alexandra Centre for Children’s Health. But not only did this group of dedicated women help with the facility’s creation, the groups also fundraised for the facility years after its opening, and they continue to offer support to the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island today.
Ruth Fenner is a member of the Somenos Women’s Institute and the Somenos Women’s Institute historian, as well as the historian for the BC Women’s Institute. We spoke with her to hear stories of the important legacy the Women’s Institute branches play in providing Island kids access to the health care they need, as well as this special relationship between the Women’s Institute branches and the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island.
The women who fought to get BC’s first children’s hospital built
This story of dedicated Island women begins in 1922 with Edith Scott. Edith was step-mother to Polly Scott, and she loved Polly like she was her own daughter. When Polly was 10 years old, she had gone to her school on Hornby Island as she always did. But later that day, Edith saw her crawling home, slowly, on her hands and knees, across the field. Polly was in so much pain that she couldn’t walk.
“Polly got injured on the playground, and was subsequently diagnosed with tubercular spine,” explains Ruth.
At the time, no hospital in BC had a responsibility to care for children, so Edith appealed to the Women’s Institutes across BC for their help so her step-daughter could get the health care she needed. According to Ruth, Edith had almost exhausted all other possibilities for help when she wrote to Mrs V.S. MacLachlan, who at that time was the Secretary-Treasurer of the BC Women’s Institutes. Mrs MacLachlan then spoke to members of the Central Park Women’s Institute in Vancouver and gained their support — she requested that the members work together to help not only Polly, but all children with health challenges in the province.
Members of Women’s Institute branches across the province began their fundraising efforts, and with an additional donation from King George and Queen Mary, the Queen Alexandra Solarium for Crippled Children came to be in Mill Bay. The Solarium accepted its first patient in 1927.
Polly was one of the Solarium’s first patients in 1927, and she went on to live a normal, successful life.
“Polly was someone who [as a child] had been funded by the public. But she then became a contributor to the public — and it was because she got medical treatment when she needed it,” says Ruth.
“I admire those women who had guts to fight for something.”
Fundraising and support from Women’s Institutes across the province
The group of dedicated, philanthropic women in the Women’s Institutes didn’t just fight for the Solarium — they supported it and ensured it would continue to offer essential health services to children.
According to Ruth, fundraising commonly included quilt-making, raffles, dances, and bake sales.
“During the Depression, the Women’s Institute branches held a lot of dances because [they could get involvement from] the community. Even the musicians at times took less than their regular fee,” says Ruth. “The focus was on the hospital, and everybody was behind it.”
In the earlier days, the Women’s Institute branches didn’t just raise money — they also donated essential items. From 1927 up until the late 1940s, the Women’s Institute branches also donated fresh vegetables, fruit, eggs, and other food items. In those early days and then well past the 1940s, the women also donated cozy items for the children.
“They were quite a group of quilters, sewers, and knitters. At that time, the Women’s Institutes across the province sewed clothing for the children who stayed at the Queen Alexandra Hospital,” says Ruth. “The women sewed pyjamas, dresses, pants, shirts, knitted socks.”
In fact, that was Ruth’s first introduction to the Queen Alexandra Hospital for Children was as a sewer from a remote setting — she lived in Dawson Creek and was a member of the West Saskatoon Women’s Institute branch when she made items for children at the hospital in the late 1960s!
By the late 1980s and early 1990s, most of the fundraising by the Women’s Institutes was financial, rather than in-kind donations. And the branches continue to offer generous financial support to the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island today.
Continued support from the Women’s Institutes branches
Ruth and her husband, Leonard, retired to Duncan in 1989. That’s when Ruth transferred from the West Saskatoon Women’s Institute branch to the Somenos Women’s Institute, a branch that has donated to support the facility since the branch’s inception in 1936.
Ruth says the Women’s Institutes will continue to offer support to the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island, and not just because of their legacy of involvement.
“When Mrs Adelaide Hoodless formed the first Women’s Institute in 1897, which was in Ontario, it was to help families, children, and work for better food and health situations. And the women have never lost sight of that,” says Ruth. “As long as there are children in need, we should be there.”
Island kids, youth, and families continue to need your support today, as Polly and Edith Scott did back in the 1920s. Join us as champions for the health of every Island family by giving to the area of greatest need!
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fan balancing
Understanding Fan Balancing for Optimal Performance
Fan balancing is a critical aspect of ensuring that industrial fans operate efficiently and with minimal vibration. The significance of vibration management in fans cannot be overstated, as excessive vibration can lead to failure in performance, equipment damage, and increased maintenance costs. Whether in manufacturing, HVAC systems, or agricultural machinery, the balancing of fans plays a pivotal role in mechanical functionality.
This overview addresses the core elements of fan balancing, including the principles, techniques, and standards that govern the process, highlighting its importance in maintaining the operational integrity of various rotor systems.
The Basics of Fan Balancing
Fan balancing involves aligning the mass distribution of fan rotors to minimize vibration and ensure smooth operation. When a fan rotor is out of balance, it creates vibration that can adversely affect both the fan itself and connected systems. Over time, this vibration can lead to wear and tear, resulting in costly repairs or replacement.
The process of fan balancing can be categorized into dynamic and static balancing. Dynamic balancing is typically performed on specialized equipment designed to detect imbalances in multiple planes, allowing for precision in corrections. Static balancing, on the other hand, addresses imbalances when the fan is stationary, focusing primarily on correcting mass distribution along a single axis.
Types of Fan Support Systems
The performance of a fan is significantly influenced by its support system. The two main types of supports are compliant and rigid. Compliant supports are characterized by their lower natural frequency, which aids in the absorption of vibrations. These systems often utilize spring or rubber isolators to maintain separation between the fan and its foundational structure.
Rigid supports, conversely, possess a high natural frequency and are designed to minimize vibration transmission to the building structure or other connected equipment. The choice between compliant and rigid supports ultimately depends on specific operational requirements and site conditions, influencing which balancing techniques are employed.
Standards and Measurement Techniques
Fan vibration standards, such as ISO 31350 and ISO 10816, provide guidelines for measuring and evaluating fan performance. Vibration assessment includes various parameters such as vibration frequency, amplitude, and overall condition. Measurement techniques typically involve using accelerometers and other specialized sensors strategically placed on the fan’s supports and bearings to capture vibrational data throughout the operating cycle.
For accurate evaluations, it’s essential that vibration sensors are properly calibrated and mounted to avoid interference. The collected data enables operators to determine if vibration levels exceed permissible limits established by industry standards, serving as indicators of potential malfunctions.
Common Sources of Vibration in Fans
Several factors contribute to vibration in fans. The primary source often stems from imbalance, caused by uneven mass distribution due to manufacturing tolerances, misalignment, or wear. Misalignment can occur when fan and motor shafts are not perfectly aligned, typically generating harmonics in vibrational frequencies that can be identified during analysis.
Aerodynamic factors can also induce vibrations. Interaction between the spinning blades and the airflow can create instabilities, contributing to unintended vibration patterns. Additionally, vibrations arising from drive mechanisms, such as belts and pulleys, can compound these effects if not effectively managed.
Balancing Procedures
To achieve optimal fan balancing, manufacturers rely on precise procedures using advanced machinery. The Balanset-1A, for example, is a portable device specifically designed for dynamic balancing, providing necessary flexibility on site or in factory conditions. This device allows technicians to perform balancing across two planes simultaneously, enhancing accuracy significantly compared to single-plane methods.
During the balancing process, residual imbalances are identified and corrected through the addition or removal of weights from specific points on the fan rotor. It is essential to follow the guidelines laid out in relevant standards to ensure compliance and efficacy, thereby prolonging the lifespan of the fan and enhancing overall system performance.
Monitoring and Maintenance Strategies
Effective management of fan vibration is a continuous process involving monitoring and maintenance. Regular assessments can help identify changes in vibration trends before they cause significant issues. It is essential to implement a condition monitoring program tailored to the specific fan and its operating conditions, allowing for real-time data analysis and proactive interventions when vibration levels approach critical thresholds.
Monitoring should include establishing baseline vibration levels, understanding normal operational parameters, and maintaining consistent measurement intervals. When abnormalities are detected, immediate analysis of causes—whether attributable to mechanical failure, misalignment, or balance issues—should be conducted to mitigate risks.
Conclusion
Fan balancing is crucial for maintaining the health, efficiency, and longevity of industrial fans. By adhering to established standards, employing effective monitoring techniques, and following proper balancing procedures, organizations can significantly reduce downtime, maintenance costs, and improve the overall reliability of their systems. As industries continue to evolve, so too will the practices surrounding fan balancing, underscoring the need for continuous learning and adaptation in vibration management.
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