The Village of Burns Lake has received a boost to its firefighting capabilities with the Federal Government’s Strategic Priorities Fund stream of the Canada Community-Building Fund. The federal investment, announced on April 17, of over $103.5 million will support 45 community infrastructure projects across the province. Among these projects is the replacement of the village’s outdated fire hall, a long-awaited upgrade that has been in the works for years. The investment comes as a relief for the community, as it will address the deficiencies of the current hall while providing better protection for the community.
Sheryl Worthing, the Village’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) noted that the firehall upgrade has been on the list for the Village for a long time, pointing to its history.
“The fire hall was first recommended for replacement in the late 1990’s by the Office of the Fire Commissioner. In 2017, as a result of a WORKSAFE ruling in Creston, the department determined that a replacement was a necessity, and suitable locations and options were explored. In 2022 the Village purchased the former Moonlight Auto garage, on Highway 35, with the intent of renovating this building into a modern firehall,” she said.
The current fire hall, built in 1970-71 by volunteers and officially opened in January 1972, is too small for modern apparatus and has several deficiencies that will be addressed in the new location. The new fire hall will have sufficient space, washroom facilities, and ample gear storage, resulting in a more efficient and effective response for the community.
As of now, there are no concrete plans for the use of the current fire hall once the new one is completed. However, several possibilities have been suggested, including using the space for emergency support services response trailer and equipment storage, records storage for archived files, or as a computer server room for the municipality’s mainframe.
“Currently, staff are finalizing the RFP (request for proposals) to find a suitable contractor to complete the final design and build the project,” said Worthing.
The project is expected to take up to a year to complete, with an estimated completion date of May 2024.