The fire hall in Heriot Bay on Quadra Island, built in the 1970s, no longer meets safety standards and is unlikely to survive an earthquake.
So, the South Quadra Island Fire Protection District has rolled out plans to construct a new $2.9 million facility.
A review of Fire Hall No. 2. found it is in non-compliance with WorkSafe BC standards, has insufficient space to meet current or future equipment and personnel needs, and lacks water and septic facilities, among other concerns, says the fire protection district.
It has pitched a new facility that will cost $2.9 million if it is built in 2025; however, it says, the price will increase if built later.
To fund the project, the district will need to secure a loan, and the repayment will be financed through a tax levy imposed on property owners within the fire protection district. To proceed with the loan, the district is required to seek approval from property owners to borrow the funds.
"After carefully considering the pros and cons of each option, the Board of Trustees decided to use the Alternative Approval Process, as we have done in the past, to seek property owner approval of the borrowing of funds," reads the website.
The properties within the fire protection district will pay an estimated $23.50 per $100,000 of assessed property value per year. This will start in July following the completion of construction, so not for a few years. The term of the loan will be a maximum of 20 years, according to the
Property owners outside the district will not be impacted.
"The replacement fire hall will meet current building standards as well as seismic post-disaster standards," reads the website. "It will meet WorkSafeBC requirements for gear storage, cleaning, and the decontamination of members and firefighting equipment as part of efforts to reduce the risk of job-related cancers. It will provide much-needed storage space for firefighting apparatus (vehicles) and equipment. The design also considers future growth by utilizing a second floor above the administration/training meeting area."
More information on the plans for the new fire hall can be found on the Quadra Island Fire Department site.
