Plans have been submitted to the planning department of the District of Saanich for the redevelopment of Fire Station 2.
Site, landscape, and elevation plans by HMCA Architecture and Design, a firm with offices in Vancouver and Victoria, were received by the department on Tuesday.
The redevelopment application calls for a rezoning that will change a single-family dwelling zone and a utility zone into a larger utility zone to accommodate the new Fire Station.
Saanich Council approved the budget for the redevelopment in 2019 after the project was first approved in April 2018.
The total cost of the project is budgeted for $26.6 million. The District says the new station will offer better service delivery as well as a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
“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 in May, 2019.
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.
HMCA Architecture and Design has worked on several projects around Victoria, including Oak Bay High School, Camosun College and the Cedar Hill Arts Centre.
Construction is expected to start later this year and be completed by 2023.
