Why is the current budget more than the amount approved for borrowing?
In 2017, Bowen Island electors voted 82% in favour of borrowing $3,000,000 for the construction of a new main Fire Hall and Emergency Operations Centre on Lot 3 of the Community Lands.
In September 2019, the tendering process returned unfavourable responses that were significantly higher than the available project budget.
After considerable review of the project design, staff and the project team refined aspects of the building to bring it as close to the available budget as possible. The current design is as modest as possible without compromising the minimum operations of the department to address the current community need.
Liberty Contract Management is able to meet the project scope with a reasonable increase to the budget and within Bowen Island Municipality’s timeline.
The revised total project cost for the Fire Hall and Emergency Operations Centre building is anticipated to be $3,725,000.
Where will the extra money come from?
The additional funding required to construct the Fire Hall and EOC, $725,000, will be funded from two Municipal reserve funds. The purpose of these reserve funds are to replace existing capital assets, such as the Fire Hall & EOC building. The breakdown is shown below:
| Fire Building Replacement Reserve | $289,772 |
| Capital Renewal and Replacement Reserve | $435,288 |
What are “excluded costs”?
Excluded project costs are items not typically covered in a construction contract and are the responsibility of the property owner. These items include, but are not limited to, Hydro connection, geo-technical work, water, and sewer connection, building permit, TransLink Development Cost Charges, etc.
The excluded project costs are expected not to exceed $125,000.
What will it cost to operate?
The project team is currently working on preparing a business plan for the Fire Hall and EOC building. Cost estimates for operating the new facility will be made available to the public and contemplated in the Five-Year Financial Plan currently being developed.
Has anything changed in the context of the core service review that was completed earlier in 2020?
The Core Service review complrted by Dave Mitchell and Associates focused on the operations of the Fire Department including training requirements and apparatus requirements to meet current and future community need, while considering the 2013 Fire Underwriter Survey recommendations. However, Dave Mitchell did confirm that the proposed Fire Hall and EOC design is currently suitable for Bowen Island.
The report did identify the need for additional Fire Department staff including an Administrative Assistant and Training Officer. These positions can be accommodated in the current design.
What was changed in the design that brought it within the revised budget?
The most significant change included a revision to the apparatus bay construction method from conventional wood framing to a pre-engineered steel building.
Other cost savings resulted in changes to aspects of the interior and exterior finishing. For example, millwork in offices and communications room, reduction in quality of materials for finishing (e.g. tiling, counters, siding, door system, etc.), landscaping and patio removed, reduced paved parking area, etc.
What will the new Fire Hall look like?
The conceptual image below illustrates what the Fire Hall will look like.
Why are we building a new Main Fire Hall? The old one seems to fit our needs.
The Main Hall on Grafton Road has served the community well, but it is time for something new.
The Main Fire Hall was built in 1969, and expanded in 1977. At the time there were two fire trucks and one ambulance. Over the years, population growth has affected infrastructure all over Bowen Island, and emergency response is no exception. The existing Hall is seismically unsound. The roof, heating, electrical and plumbing systems are all in bad shape. The septic field has failed.
The truck bays are unsafe and not up to current standards. The communication and equipment space is inadequate.
Also, we have just outgrown it. There is virtually no room for the level of training we need for our current membership of volunteer fire fighters, and there are not enough parking spaces to accommodate their vehicles when they are responding to a callout.
Many studies, including the Fire Underwriter’s Survey—which is the standard for assessing a community’s Fire Protection—have identified that the hall needs to be replaced. It’s time.
Why can’t we just fix the “old” hall?
In 2001, a study determined that the Fire Hall would not survive a moderate seismic event. The cost of strengthening the existing structure would be prohibitive—not an effective use of public funds considering all of the other shortcomings of the facility.
What about the “satellite” fire hall?
The 2007 Fire Underwriter’s Survey determined that the Island required a water tanker in order to provide fire protection to areas without hydrants, primarily on the western side of the Island. The existing Main Fire Hall could not house a tanker, so the location for the Satellite Hall was determined to best serve those needs. The Satellite Hall will continue to house the tanker truck and provide outdoor training space.
Can’t we do all the training in the “old” hall?
Training takes place indoors and outdoors. The indoor space at the current Fire Hall is insufficient for the increased level of training required for today’s firefighters.
While the Satellite Hall on Adams Road has an outdoor area that can be used for training, it lacks the inside room, equipment and tables to set up as classroom style.
I don’t like the location. Was that part of the referendum decision?
No. The referendum in 2017 was needed for electors to approve the Municipality borrowing up to $3 million to build the new Fire Hall and Emergency Operations Centre. The Lot 3 location was chosen because it will be the easiest, most cost effective place on public land to build.
Why is the proposed new Main Fire Hall larger than the one we already have?
There are two components to a fire hall—operational and support.
The operational side includes the apparatus bays, lockers for turnout (protective) gear, space for changing into turnout gear, equipment servicing areas and supply storage.
The support area includes a classroom (which is also the space that could be quickly transformed into an Emergency Operations Centre), and shared offices for the Chief, Deputy Chief and Training Officer. It also includes a communications room, kitchen, washrooms, day room, and a supplies area for Emergency Social Services.
Being an Island community presents a unique challenge in providing fire protection. In many rural communities connected by road, there is an agreement referred to as Mutual Aid. This means each community may not need to have their own specialized equipment because if necessary, they can borrow it from a nearby community that does. Town A may request Town B’s Tanker, aerial apparatus, other equipment and even firefighters. Bowen Island does not have that capability. We are on our own and we must have equipment available for any reasonable eventuality.
When we build this new Hall, what will happen to the old Hall? Why not sell the land to help pay for the new Hall?
The Grafton Road property was donated by the Davies family for a Fire Hall. We will be consulting with the Davies family and the community for a future civic use of the site.
Why can’t we start small and have the facility expand as we grow?
The space required for the fire apparatus is determined by the associated fire risk of our community. The three double truck bays proposed are required by the present and foreseeable needs. The new site on Lot 3 would be large enough to allow for future expansion.
Does this mean all emergency services will be under one roof?
No. While there may be some savings in having police and ambulance services combined with fire protection in a single facility, there are concerns about all essential services being vulnerable to a single catastrophic event.
What is the lifespan of this proposed fire hall?
The proposed structure will serve our community for the next 50 years.
How much will this new hall cost and how will that translate into increased taxes?
In 2017, it was estimated that it would cost $3 million to build the new Hall, which will cost the average property owner about $73 a year over the next 30 years.
In September 2019, the tendering process returned unfavourable responses that were significantly higher than the available project budget.
After considerable review of the project design, staff and the project team refined aspects of the building to bring it as close to the available budget as possible. The current design is as modest as possible without compromising the minimum operations of the department to address the current community need.
Liberty Contract Management is able to meet the project scope with a reasonable increase to the budget and within Bowen Island Municipality’s timeline.
The revised total project cost for the Fire Hall and Emergency Operations Centre building is anticipated to be $3,725,000. The additional funding required to complete the project, $725,000, will be funded from two municipal reserve funds. The purpose of these reserve funds are to replace existing capital assets, such as the Fire Hall & EOC building. Since the additional funds are coming from existing reserve funds, this will not increase property taxes.
Will my insurance rates be affected?
Most insurance policies have higher premiums for residential structures that are more than 8 km away from the nearest fire hall. For commercial structures the threshold is 5 km.
Placing the satellite hall on the west side of the Island allowed us to locate the proposed Main Fire Hall closer to Snug Cove, where most of the dense residential and commercial structures are located—and where the greatest risk exists.
How much land does the Fire Hall require?
About an acre. Fire trucks are large, they need a certain amount of space to turn and manoeuvre in and out of the bays.
Our volunteer fire fighters responding to a callout need a place to park and this could take up to thirty spaces.
In the event of an Emergency Operations Centre being activated, we would need even more parking spaces.
Who will be building the new Fire Hall?
Local trades will be utilized whenever possible.
Have a question that is not answered above? Please contact us: InvestedInSafety@bimbc.ca