By Dominic Abassi

Opposition to borrowing $17M for new fire hall fails despite unprecedented turnout

May 7, 2018 | 5:47 PM

NANAIMO — The City received approval from its voters to borrow up to $17 million for a new downtown fire hall, but those opposed to the idea turned out in extraordinary numbers.

The City said 783 electors submitted a form officially pledging their opposition to the proposal to borrow the money to build a new fire hall and emergency response centre on Fitzwilliam St., replacing the current fire station #1.

While that’s far below the more than 6,800 forms needed to reject the borrowing, 783 is a huge increase on historical participation in alternative approval processes. City data showed a combined 13 dissenting votes over the last eight AAPs going back to 2010.

The bylaw allowing the borrowing for the project will now come back to Council for final approval. It passed three readings on a slim 5-4 vote in February, with several councillors voicing concern over the cost of the project and the planning process.

Online reaction to the project featured a similar sentiment, with many residents wanting the question put to a referendum. An AAP is considered significantly cheaper.

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Pending final approval from Council, the City planned to move ahead with detailed design and prep work for the project. That work is estimated to cost around $2 million.

In May of last year, Council received a business case analysis for the new fire hall and directed staff to include the project in the 2018-2022 financial plan.

The analysis said the current downtown hall was built in 1966 and does not meet provincial seismic codes. The business case referenced several other physical shortcomings, include a leaky roof requiring urgent replacement, as well as the opportunity to consolidate emergency operations currently split between two buildings.

The new building would also serve as the City’s emergency coordination and dispatch centre.

Construction of the new fire hall could begin in May 2019.

— with files from Ian Holmes

dom@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @domabassi