$1.3-million for new St. Clements fire station

The Township of Wellesley will be getting a brand new fire station in St. Clements – and a $1.3 million bill to boot. Giving the project a final go-ahead Tuesday evening, councillors supported the plan to replace the current structure through a combination of reserve funding from the township’s coffers and a $400,000 debenture, payable over the next ten years.

The contract for the work, which includes the demolition and replacement of the aging station at 2671 Herrgott Rd. with a new facility, was awarded to the Hawkesville-based Frey Building Contractors for just over $1 million.

The new station will feature several improvement requested by township fire officials, including an SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) fill station and additional storage space to keep supplies previously stored at the township offices onsite instead. The building will also feature “the addition of a large room at the front of the structure that serves as a showroom/fire museum paying homage to decades and generations of firefighting in the Township of Wellesley.

“The room is designed to be mostly glass and big enough to house the township’s antique fire pumper, antique fire handcart and display historical items collected and saved throughout all 3 stations,” said township staff in a report to council. The addition of the showroom adds another $45,000 to the bill, the equivalent of another four per cent.

Frey Contractors expect the work to be completed by the fall of 2019. During the build phase, township staff are proposing to house the station’s fire apparatus in the St. Clements arena when the ice is removed for the season.

Councillors unanimously backed the proposal for the new station.

The township had previously considered renovating the station instead, but found a marginal difference in replacing versus rehabilitating the existing less-than-adequate structure. The current station in St. Clements, built in 1979, would’ve needed extensive work to meet modern building standards, according to a feasibility study conducted by engineering firm AECOM.