In their 13th meeting on June 13, members of the Advisory Select Committee (ASC) made a key decision to recommend to Council that spatial requirements of a new Fire Hall be established at approximately 14,000 square feet.
The consensus was made as a conclusion to a May 30, 2018 presentation by FireWise Consulting Ltd.’s Ernie Polsom, who at the earlier meeting reviewed a proposed spatial analysis of the Fire Hall with the ASC. That information placed the building’s suggested square-footage needs at 13,412. The ASC rounded up that figure to 14,000 square feet to accommodate for a lack of storage capacity in the original spatial analysis.
This agreement represents a decisive moment in the Committee’s work, as it allows them to identify a range of costs for the new Fire Hall, based on the Altus Canadian Construction Guide.
FireWise’s Polsom also presented the ASC with an overview of high-level financial questions around borrowing for a new Fire Hall. In forming a new borrowing referendum question for the building, he said, the dollar amount to be requested by the Town of Creston would represent a “worst case scenario” – that is, the amount would be specifically related to a maximum borrowing amount to include land cost estimates, square footage, and application of industry standard costs as well as a standard amount of contingency funding.
He asked, “Is the amount in the referendum question the actual amount Creston taxpayers would be expected to pay?”
“No. Again, the amount represents the worst-case scenario for project costs. This total amount also does not reflect the inclusion of grants, savings from the competitive bid process, or the fact that RDCK (Regional District of Central Kootenay) is contractually obliged to pay its own share of approximately 28 percent of the total cost,” he said. Polsom concluded the presentation by noting that financial controls on the building project would be professionally managed and that any cost savings achieved would reduce borrowing and lower taxation required for the project. In addition, he noted the project would not include money for additional Fire Hall furniture or equipment, “as these items are transferrable.”
The ASC’s 13th meeting was held from 6:30 to 8:41 p.m. in Council Chambers at the Town of Creston’s Town Hall. Subsequent meetings are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on select Wednesday evenings throughout June and July 2018, with the next meeting scheduled for June 20, 2018.
The ASC was formed to make recommendations to Council on solutions to address the deficiencies of the existing Fire Hall in order to meet the province’s legislative/regulatory requirements and industry standards. To view the latest ASC Meeting materials, click here.
Learn more and share your insights on building a new Fire Hall for our community by attending one of the ASC’s Open Houses on Sunday, June 24, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. (presentation at 2:30 p.m.) or Monday, June 25, 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. (presentation at 6:00 p.m.) in the Creston Room at the Creston & District Community Complex (312 19th Avenue N).
Submitted by Kerry McArthur | Community Fire Hall Advisory Select Committee Facilitator | Communications