A groundbreaking ceremony was recently held to mark the start of the construction of the new fire hall for the Deep Bay Fire and Rescue Department.
The Deep Bay Improvement District has working on this project for more than four years. The new fire hall was proposed following a discussion to replace one of its aging trucks. Due to space constraints, a modern replacement truck would not have fit in the current hall. As well, the building no longer meets current seismic or post-disaster building standards.
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A new four-bay truck hall that will cost approximately $2 million will be built at 5031 Mountainview Rd. in Bowser.
A referendum was held last year that asked residents in the Deep Bay Improvement District if they favoured borrowing $2 million to build the fire hall. Out of 384 ballots that were cast, 242 supported the loan proposal with 142 in opposition.
The long-term debt will be financed over a 20-year period and repayment will be collected via the annual rural tax levy.
Once the new fire hall is completed, all essential emergency equipment would be housed in the new building making it easily accessible in case of a significant seismic event.
— NEWS Staff