Ontario Construction News staff writer
The cost of Sudbury’s planned upgrades to fire stations has jumped to $124 million, according to a report to council. Estimated costs include $57.6 million over 10 years for repairs and $176.4 million to modernize and expand facilities.
Council approved five out of nine resolutions June 27, to maintain, renovate or consolidate Greater Sudbury’s Fire and Paramedic stations. The remaining four resolutions will be voted on at the next council meeting on July 11.
The goal is to renew or replace aging facilities and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of fire and paramedic services, all while ensuring responsible allocation of limited resources.
Approved resolutions include:
- A new Fire and Paramedic station to be constructed in Garson, with costs to be included in the draft 2024-2027 capital budget. Once operations begin running out of this new station, the Falconbridge station will be consolidated into it, and both the Falconbridge and the old Garson stations will be closed.
- An amendment to the proposed resolution will see necessary repairs done to reopen the Skead station as soon as possible, with costs to be put forward in future budgets based on average staffing levels.
- Val Therese station will be renovated with costs to be included in the 2024-2027 capital budget. Once these repairs are completed, the Val Caron and Hanmer stations will be closed and those operations consolidated into the Val Therese station.
- Vermilion Lake station will be closed and consolidated into the Dowling station. The Dowling station will be renovated with costs to be included in future draft capital budgets.
- Beaver Lake station to remain open for one year while efforts are expanded to recruit volunteer firefighters to match the average number of volunteers in other stations. If there are not enough volunteers in one year’s time, the Beaver Lake station will be closed.
Most of the city’s 24 stations are in the latter stages of their expected 50-year life cycle and were not historically supported by asset management plans that identified appropriate maintenance expenditures. The average age of the combined 24 stations is 49 years of age. Only one of the 24 stations is under 30 years of age, and 10 of them are older than 50 years.