The Republic of Brackendale doesn't exist on any map -but it's a very real place, due to the life's work of Thor Froslev.And as he prepares to celebrate his 75th birthday at a community celebration on Saturday (March 15), the republic's president is learning his job doesn't have a term limit - or a retirement plan."Sorry Thor, it's like the Pope, you can't retire, you have to die," said his wife Dorte on a recent Saturday afternoon as the two recalled the history of the Brackendale Art Gallery, the 35-year-old "work in progress" which has become the nerve centre - and the capital - of Brackendale.She admitted it is an all-consuming operation. "It never stops. It's relentless," she said. "I just retired and I'm trying not to get sucked into the vortex."When Dorte was working as an art teacher in North Vancouver the ever-changing gallery was just as tough to navigate as Highway 99. Because of Froslev's belief that a dream should be kept to oneself before being acted upon, the building she came home to often surprised her."I would say when I went to work that I wasn't sure if the door I walked out of would be there when I got back," she said.The joke was very real.One evening, as Dorte made her way up the stairs in the dark, she hit a pane of glass about 10 feet before the door. Froslev had put up a sliding glass door in front of the existing one, creating a mudroom he still touts as a great idea today."I nearly broke my nose," Dorte said, rolling her eyes.Despite the quips, there is palpable affection between the two. Froslev's birthday party on Saturday falls on their anniversary, marking 21 years of what Dorte describes as a "never boring" life together.When its doors opened in 1973, the Brackendale Art Gallery was a mere 30 by 50 feet, but it served as a vital launch pad for aspiring artists who struggled to find a paying gig in Vancouver.Over the years, that small space has grown to encompass an art gallery, theatre, teahouse, chapel, Eagle Aid Station, bell workshop, art school and most recently, a tower designed to house an eagle interpretation centre and resident artist. Froslev's commitment to the arts has resulted in a loyal following from musical acts such as John Bottomley and the Paperboys, who continue to play in the gallery long after their success has taken them beyond small-town shows.When asked why they keep returning to Brackendale, the musicians often site the intimate feeling of the gallery, an element Froslev said has been there from the beginning."It's cute in here, it's like walking through a little village," he said, describing how events such as the Christmas Craft Fair get taken to a new level with the warmth of a glowing fireplace.Froslev, who immigrated to Canada from Denmark 50 years ago, puts great value on warm and familiar places."To immigrate is huge, huge stuff," he said. "No more aunts, uncles you can't walk where you had a paper route."By turning his home into a community centre for Brackendale, he has built up a rich connection to the area and its people. His passion is visible even from Government Road where his Republic of Brackendale flag can be seen flying just below the maple leaf.Though he said his busy life has left no room for the accumulation wisdom, at 75, he has boiled success down to three key elements: dedication, determination and desire.Froslev already knows what his birthday wish will be: the longtime advocate for Brackendale's green space said he would like to see Brackendale Farmers Institute Park protected from development."We better get that sucker solved," he said in his characteristically blunt manner. "This is our Stanley Park." McDonald Development Corporation and the Squamish Nation are currently considering the 32-acre parcel of land for development.While squashing such a large-scale project would no doubt be an uphill battle, Froslev's aspirations are equally hard to crush.Lobbying for a number of causes over nearly four decades, he has established himself as a force to be reckoned with.In the mid-'90s, he fought alongside Len Goldsmith to establish a sanctuary for the area's wintering bald eagles. His efforts resulted in what is now the Brackendale Eagles Provincial Park, a protected area sprawling over 1,800 acres.Soon after, he and Goldsmith partnered again, this time on a mission to stop a proposed Official Community Plan (OCP) amendment to facilitate an airport expansion. The two served the District of Squamish a B.C. Supreme Court petition to stop the change. While the concept was recently put back on the table in a draft version of the new OCP, Froslev said he is keeping an eye on the idea of developing what he calls "The Heart of Brackendale" -the airport expansion now sits at number two on his local issues list.The celebration at the BAG starts with an open house from 4 to 7 p.m., with formal festivities in the evening.
