Orangeville council is looking to avoid the estimated $10 million cost of building a fire station, but Credit Valley Conservation is standing in its way.
Construction of a new fire hall, at an estimated $10 million over the next three years, is the largest capital project included on the Town of Orangeville's 2020 draft budget.
The anticipated costs of constructing a new building start with $3 million in 2020, followed by $5 million in 2021 and another $2 million in 2022.
“There is more than one councillor that is questioning it. We want to try and push Credit Valley Conservation to allow an expansion of the existing building,” said Mayor Sandy Brown.
“That would be a lot less expensive. We own the land already,” he added. “CVC seem to be the sticking point.”
First opened in 1972, the fire station on Dawson Road has been earmarked by town staff for replacement dating as far back to 2015.
Since the building is located within what CVC has identified as a floodplain, the fire station is currently restricted from any addition of floor space or expansion at the site.
Just how restricted is a question council wants to get answered by CVC. For instance, Brown said Deputy Mayor Andy Macintosh, a former town fire chief, worked inside the building for 29 years and never saw any pooling water.
“You don’t want your emergency services to be impacted by flooding if they are the ones that have to go out and help people in those circumstances,” Brown acknowledged.
“I get it but there has never been any flooding in that area. It is really high and dry compared to other parts of town,” the mayor said. “It is a great geographic location. We own the land. The only thing stopping us is CVC. We need to lobby them hard.”
A Fire Master Plan approved by the last council in 2015 has already recommended Orangeville start the construction of a new fire station by 2018. Neither the fire department nor town staff have been successful in identifying a location for the facility.
The fire department has suggested any design and location of a new fire station would be contingent on acquiring land within somewhat close proximity of the existing fire station.
Ideally, a site west of C Line and the existing fire hall on Dawson Road is preferred but council may have other ideas.
“I feel an expansion would be the way to go. It's a good solid building, in the perfect location,” said Macintosh, who served as the town’s fire chief until his retirement a few years ago.
“I feel that there is a lot more life in that building,” he added. “Sure, it could have more room, but an expansion would be adequate.”
Brown said town staff plan to meet with CVC officials in the upcoming days to walk the fire station site and potentially come up with a solution.
Brown suggested any savings realized from a fire expansion rather than a new build could be used to address some of the long-term needs at other town facilities such as the Alder Street recreation centre.
Of course, that will ultimately depend on any decision from CVC.
“Either way, we need it in writing from CVC," Brown said. "If we can push this fire station into an upgrade rather than a brand new building, then that helps us fund that other project.”
Link to original article on orangeville.com: Why Orangeville council thinks it could avoid $10M cost of building new fire station