A new amenity packed, seismically sound Dashwood fire hall will be built after the existing building is demolished. (Nick Acciavetti)

By Ian Holmes

new infrastructure

Construction tender awarded to build new Dashwood Fire Hall

Oct 19, 2022 | 5:23 AM

QUALICUM BEACH — Improving fire protection services and the well-being of Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department (DVFD) members is at last coming to fruition.

Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) board of directors recently unanimously approved a nearly $5.9 million construction tender to build a larger, more functional hall at the site of the existing Hobbs Rd. facility.

DVFD chief Nick Acciavatti said the two-storey building north of Qualicum Beach will feature four double-deep bays.

“The building we have worked on with the Regional District and our firefighters is a very simple, but yet effective building that should last well into the future,” Acciavatti told NanaimoNewsNOW.

The RDN anticipates demolishing the existing hall and building the new facility will be a 20 month process, with project completion expected in June 2024.

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Prefabricated engineered steel frame construction will meet post-disaster requirements and include improved spaces for equipment and department personnel, an RDN staff report stated.

Enhanced ventilation and an equipment decontamination area are key safety considerations for firefighters, Acciavatti said.

A large training room, kitchen, office space, fitness area and laundry facilities will also be included.

While energy-saving features will be included, the building won’t meet a LEED Silver standard.

Acciavatti said space in the new hall will be set aside for dormitories.

“Eventually down the road as the community grows we’ll be able to grow into the fire station with having the extra space. Space here is a big deal as currently we have no space.”

Acciavatti said a temporary hall is established on site to be operational when the old hall is torn down and the future facility under construction.

“It’s important for us to remain operationally responsive to calls from the community. We’ve set up three temporary structures for our vehicles to work out of, we have a temporary set of offices here, we’re putting in temporary bathrooms for our firefighters.”

Temporary structures are in place to serve as a temporary fire hall for DVFD members during the construction of their new hall. (Nick Acciavatti)

Acciavatti noted they intend to add a new firefighting vehicle to their fleet in their next three to four years.

The new hall will be paid for by RDN residents living in area’s H, G and F, who approved the project following an alternate approval process done in July.

In 2019 $4 million was approved to build a new fire hall, however subsequent detailed cost estimates came in well over budget and the project was shelved.

The RDN estimated the average residential property taxpayer in the Dashwood Fire Hall service area would pay $451,28 annually in additional taxes for 25 years to fund the new facility.

Originally built in 1985, the deteriorating Dashwood Fire Hall was expanded when a third vehicle bay was added in 1996.

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes