Firehall going to referendum

Voters in Lake Country will elect a new council this fall and also decide whether the town should build a new firehall.

A second referendum on long-held plans to construct the hall, currently estimated to cost $9 million, will be attached to ballots used in the Oct. 20 municipal election.

The planned borrowing of $6.6 million would increase the typical Lake Country homeowner's property taxes by $90 annually for the next 20 years.

This will be the second time Lake Country has tried to get voter consent to build a new firehall. A referendum in 2008 was defeated 1,025 to 1,000.

Town officials say Lake Country, population 13,000, has outgrown its current firehall, which dates back to 1959. In 1974, the fire department responded to 44 alarms; last year, the call volume was 1,134.

The department has seven full-time staff, 54 paid on-call firefighters, six fire engines, six other vehicles, and a rescue boat.

Deficiencies with the existing firehall are said to include lack of showers and decontamination facilities (in violation of Work Safe BC standards), limited storage and equipment repair rooms, undersized training facilities and cramped and insufficient administration offices.

In addition to $6.6 million in borrowed funds, the new hall would be funded through the sale of the existing site (at an expected price of $1 million), and $1.4 million from reserves.