Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps says the city can expect an innovative new fire hall, based on 18 proposals received.
Council cast its net wide in the search for ideas to renovate or replace Fire Station No. 1, Victoria Fire Department’s headquarters, she said.
“We’ll get better than a new fire hall — we’ll get a fire hall-plus,” Helps said.
The ideas came in response to a market-sounding, which is not a formal request for proposals, but a non-binding exploration of potential partnerships with interested individuals or organizations. The submissions are confidential.
But Helps said they include ideas for a fire hall that could also include space to serve other community needs, such as affordable housing, a recreation centre or space for paramedics.
Ideas could range from a simple on-site renovation to a new building at a different location, she said.
Fire Station No. 1, at 1234 Yates St., was identified among the city’s top priorities on a maintenance to-do list, alongside Crystal Pool and Point Ellice Bridge, in January.
It is the largest of the fire department’s three stations and houses the administration, prevention, training, mechanical and suppression offices. The two-storey, 1,548-square-metre building (about 16,650 square feet) was constructed in 1958 and has undergone several upgrades.
But the building is not seismically sound, its electrical capacity is maxed out and the newest fire trucks barely fit in the bays, Fire Chief Paul Bruce said.
“We’ve already maximized what we can fit in that building. As the city grows, the department would be limited in its response capacity by the apparatus door height,” Bruce said. “It’s reached a point where, in the best of terms, to try and fix what’s broken as opposed to redeveloping the site itself is quite a challenge.”
Bruce had not seen the proposals, but was satisfied with the process. “I look forward to progressing with the process and allowing people to have their say on what they want their fire station to look like.”
The budget for the project was not available.
The next step in the process is market engagement, which will include a review and assessment of the submissions. A procurement process will follow.
