By Spencer Sterritt

City to borrow $17 million to replace downtown fire station

May 10, 2017 | 6:25 PM

NANAIMO — After nearly 50 years, Nanaimo’s main fire station will be replaced.

City Council voted 6-2 in favour of replacing the station at the intersection of Fitzwilliam and Milton St. on Monday, May 8. Based on preliminary numbers presented to council, the project will cost $16.9 million dollars.

Deborah Duncan, manager of financial planning for the City, said they’ll borrow money to pay for the project and then use their reserves to pay off the loan.

“Each year money goes into those reserves and each year money comes out to fund projects,” she said.

The fire station will now be added to their 20-year infrastructure plan and the 2018-2022 financial plan.

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She said $17 million isn’t a high number for them to borrow, which they rarely do.

Nanaimo fire rescue chief Craig Richardson said the new building is desperately needed since their current facilities are in dire need of maintenance and have reached the end of the line.

For him, the biggest and most welcome change will be having all fire administration staff back from the command and business centre just down the block.

“It makes sense to have all those functions under one roof,” he said.

During the meeting, coun. Jerry Hong voted against the new fire station as proposed. He took issue with some aspects of the budget, such as $125,000 for public art.

“How do I tell that to the residents of Nanaimo that we spent $125,000 on public art in a fire station that most of them will never see. My son loves going to the fire station and it’s not to see the art.”

He also took issue with the fire station having to meet the latest seismic codes when government buildings don’t meet the code, as he claimed.

Construction is expected to start in 2019 and be completed within 12 to 18 months.

spencer.sterritt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit