City hits pause on proposed third fire station in Charlottetown

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The Metropolis of Charlottetown has put its plan to construct a 3rd fireplace station on Malpeque Highway on maintain.

Hearth chief Tim Mamye mentioned town must first determine whether or not it wants three stations.

Mamye mentioned, in his opinion, it doesn’t.

“Once I took over as fireplace chief in December … I needed to make a dedication on whether or not we had been prepared to maneuver ahead with three stations or not,’’ Mamye instructed SaltWire Community on Jan. 30. “We weren’t, so we paused the undertaking at that time in order that we may assessment our inside operations to find out whether or not or not we really need three stations or simply two and the way we will function transferring ahead.’’

The town presently operates with Station 1 on Kent Avenue, which serves the downtown core, and Station 2, which is for the neighbourhood of Sherwood.

In response to an insurance coverage underwriter’s report completed for town various years in the past, a fireplace corridor was sorely wanted within the north finish to deal with the rising inhabitants in neighbourhoods that included West Royalty and Winsloe.

The town spent $870,000 in 2017 to buy 4.5 acres on Malpeque Highway to construct a satellite tv for pc station to cowl the north finish.

The plan was to go together with two stations, Station 1 within the downtown and a brand new satellite tv for pc corridor.

Nevertheless, that drew the ire of some members of council.

Coun. Terry Bernard, who represents the protection space of Station 2, had an issue with closing the station as a result of he felt that call left his residents and not using a immediate response.

Mamye mentioned that resulted in a change of plans in 2019 the place council wished to change to a three-station operation.

“There was a little bit of a misunderstanding there,’’ Mamye mentioned. “Internally, we hadn’t deliberate on taking a look at a 3rd station. It wasn’t one of many suggestions from the (underwriter’s) report from years in the past, so we had been centered on a two-station operation. The third station threw us for a little bit of a loop.’’

Bernard mentioned Jan. 30 he’ll struggle any resolution that goals to shut Station 2 if that’s the route town chooses to go.

SaltWire Community additionally spoke on Jan. 30 to a member of the Charlottetown Skilled Firefighters Affiliation (CPFA), the union that represents profession workers. It was instructed there could be no remark.

At a gathering of the protecting and emergency providers committee on Jan. 24, Mamye mentioned Stations 1 and a couple of are situated too shut collectively to justify retaining each open with a brand new station within the north finish.

“If you happen to may pinpoint them geographically on (a map) you wouldn’t put them the place they’re at this time,’’ Mayme mentioned.

The fireplace chief added town isn’t about to maneuver Station 1 out of the downtown core, explaining that the structure and proximity of buildings within the core makes a quick response very important.

“It means Station 2 must have a greater location which is why the land (on Malpeque Highway) was bought within the first place, to exchange Station 2.

On the Jan. 24 assembly, Mayor Philip Brown questioned placing the undertaking on maintain.

“Within the (2017) decision, it was all the time talked a few third station,’’ the mayor mentioned. “We will’t be placing the brakes on now.’’

Brown added a brand new fireplace station has been an election problem for greater than a decade.

Time is ticking on what town will select to do.

Workers is deep in capital funds talks for 2023. The record of tasks on the books often will get launched someday in February.

The town can also be awaiting arbitration on a brand new collective settlement with the CPFA so that might play an element within the route issues go as effectively.

At a look

Following is a breakdown of Charlottetown’s complement of firefighters:

• Station 1 on Kent Avenue has 9 profession firefighters

• Station 2 on St. Peters Highway has zero profession firefighters

• Station 1 has 41 volunteers

• Station 2 has 44 volunteers

Dave Stewart is a reporter with SaltWire Community in Prince Edward Island. He could be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @DveStewart