Rocky View County held a groundbreaking ceremony on July 28 to celebrate the new fire hall, Station 74, to be built in Elbow Valley.
Several dignitaries, including Reeve Lois Habberfield, Division 3 Councillor Gordon Branson, Rocky View Fire Chief Wayne Brown and Calgary Fire Chief Bruce Burrell, attended the event.
“This is the result of many years of hard work, trying to get a location for a fire hall in this area,” said Habberfield. “We recognize that we have a lot of expensive homes and open spaces in the area that we need to protect. This is a great day.”
The West Elbow Valley firehouse is scheduled for completion in September 2011.
The 10,000 square foot facility will be located just south of Highway 8, at the intersection of Lott Creek Drive and Range Road 31. Construction will begin in September.
The project, which will have the capacity to house six firefighters and two emergency medical services personnel, will cost $2.5 million and will be funded by Municipal Sustainability Initiative funding from the Alberta government.
The fire hall is the first of its kind in Rocky View.
“We hope people like it,” said Habberfield. “Rather than being intrusive, it will be compatible with the neighbourhood.”
Branson was thrilled about the new firehouse, saying the project represents several years of hard work from council, the community and fire departments in the area.
“I have enjoyed wonderful support from different community associations and residents at large in advancing the need for local service,” said Branson. “This means enhanced service capacity to the built-out portions of the Highway 8 corridor, neighbouring communities and to future growth. We are going to have our own core of personnel (which is) intimately familiar with the service area.”
Currently, fire services are supported by Rocky View County Fire Services operating out of Calgary Fire Department (CFD) Station 33. Previously, the CFD maintained primary response to the area.
CFD Chief Bruce Burrell was pleased that a local fire station would be in place to meet the needs of the community.
“It has been a challenge within the city of Calgary to maintain the level of fire service that we have been providing,” said Burrell. “We will still be one of your partners, but we are very pleased that Rocky View has had the foresight (for this facility).”
Brown was pleased about the new firehouse.
“The planning that has brought Station 74 to this stage has been an enormous undertaking and a collaborative effort involving many officials, groups and individuals,” said Brown.
“The Calgary Fire Department has been instrumental in helping us meet our incrementally growing emergency services needs, especially within this division. We look forward to assisting them in a similar capacity upon the completion of our new home in Elbow Valley.”