A multi-stage redevelopment project for Saanich’s Elk Lake Drive fire station is now under way.
Saanich council has allocated $26 million of funding for this first major project under the Strategic Facilities Master Plan that was first approved in April 2018.
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“The population in Saanich has increased by thirty-six per cent since the original fire station on Elk Lake Drive was built in 1978,” said Mayor Fred Haynes.
The Elk Lake Drive fire station (or fire station #2) was identified as a priority due to these increased service needs particularly considering the adjacency to rural areas, the impact of the Pat Bay Highway which is a site of numerous accidents, a densifying urban neighbourhood, and the requirement to appropriately house fire apparatus.
“Redeveloping this facility reflects the ongoing commitment of Council and the Saanich Fire Department to providing high quality service and ensuring public safety, both now and in the future,” he adds.
Over the next few months, Saanich will be undertaking the process of acquiring development permits.
Construction is not expected to start until 2021, and the new facility is expected to be completed in 2023.
Fire Hall 2 is one of the two highest priority projects for Saanich, the second one being the Parks and Public Works Yard – the hub of the city’s infrastructure network located at 1040 McKenzie Ave.
An infographic providing an overview of the redevelopment plan for fire hall 2 is available here.
