Rocky View County council paved the way for a future emergency services centre in Elbow Valley at its meeting, May 11.
The facility, which will be located immediately south of Lott Creek Drive and directly west of Range Road 31, will provide service along the Highway 8 corridor.
That service is necessary as the City of Calgary, which historically provided contracted emergency services to the area, will no longer be doing so as of Sept. 30, 2011.
“On May 10, 2010, Rocky View County Fire Department moved into a temporary, leased fire bay in City of Calgary Fire Department Station 33 on 69th Street,” said Rudy Janzen, an elected representative of Elbow Valley residents.
“This lease expires in September 2011, at which time, barring other opportunities, there will be no local fire services for the Highway 8 corridor. This is about safety and rapid emergency deployment for all who live in the service area, and it is time.”
The site, which encompasses about 29 acres of undeveloped land, was chosen after an extensive study of potential locations in the area.
The land was already owned by the County and was commonly perceived to be the site of a future school. The emergency services facility will require approximately five acres of land, leaving more than 20 acres for a future school.
The facility will be fully serviced via the Westridge Water Co-op, an on-site sewage system, and will contain both a dry and wet pond for storm water management. The building itself will have architectural controls so as to fit within the community.
Although there was overwhelming community support for the facility, some concerns were raised by residents of the area.
Kyla Brulotte lives on an acreage adjacent to the site. She raised concerns about noise, the storm water management system and potential loss of the slotted school.
Brulotte, who moved her family to the area after a traumatic fire in her previous neighbourhood in Calgary, is also concerned for the psychological health of her children.
“Everyone wants a fire hall, that’s not the issue, but do you want it in your backyard?” said Brulotte. “Would you want it there if your children have problems with sirens?”
Despite these concerns, council unanimously voted in support of the facility, citing the community’s overwhelming support of the facility and the strategic location of the site.
“There are greater sensitivities to some of the concerns that have been brought forward,” said Councillor Gordon Branson. “I know we can’t intervene directly… we would work as best we can to alleviate those concerns.”
“We have such an overwhelming support for this,” said Councillor Harvey Buckley.
