Former firehall up for sale after new station opens

After some Otonabee-South Monaghan Township firefighters moved into the township’s new Fire Station 2 last month, the former firehall is now up for sale.

Prior to picking a location for the new station — which is about half a kilometre south of the previous location on Bensfort Road — Mayor Joe Taylor said the township undertook a detailed study to see where it could be moved while still best servicing the area.

“It’s bigger, newer and better designed, and can accommodate the equipment that we have, and it’s also got a training room in it. It’s just a better facility,” Taylor said.

Fire Chief Ted Bryan said the township’s firefighters are all happy with the new firehall.

“It’s a major step forward for our personnel and our equipment to have a facility that meets our needs,” he said. “It’s a bright light in a time when things are a little duller.”

Because of the pandemic, there was no official ribbon cutting, Taylor said.

“Members of council were invited to it — a couple of us attended — and a few of the firefighters,” he said.

The few individuals at the grand opening watched as the equipment was brought from the former fire station and then took a quick tour of the new facility.

The former station was built in the 1960s at the north end of Bensfort Road which is now in the City of Peterborough, Taylor said.

“Due to annexation, our Otonabee-South Monaghan’s fire hall is located within the city. That, of course, is problematic. But what’s the biggest problem is the building is very modest and it can no longer accommodate the size of the equipment that’s built today,” he said.

“For example, our tanker truck had to be full to back it in the doors and put it in the bay room to be parked and if it was to spring a leak while it was in there, then, of course, the truck would raise up and you couldn’t get it out the building. Now, that hadn’t happened, but it was time to replace it.”

Both Bryan and Taylor said some people have already expressed interest in the former building.

“Certainly, there’s been different people who have expressed interest, but as far as any bids or anything, they’d be all sealed,” Bryan said.

Marissa Lentz is a staff reporter at the Examiner, based in Peterborough. Her reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. Reach her via email: mlentz@peterboroughdaily.com