TIME TO ACT
City of Charlottetown needs to make a decision on the future of its fire stations
Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown says the time will soon come to make a decision on the city’s fire stations.
“This fire station (matter) has been on three election agendas — 2010, 2014 and 2018,’’ Brown said.
In 2017, the city spent almost $900,000 to purchase a piece of property in the neighbourhood of West Royalty with plans to build a new fire station that would replace Station 2 in Sherwood.
Yet, councillors who represent residents in the greater Sherwood area, such as Terry MacLeod and Terry Bernard, want to see the current station remain open and have argued that the city should operate three fire stations, although that would cost the city more money. At council’s December meeting, Coun. Kevin Ramsay, who was handling the file before the new council changed all of the standing committees, said the necessary reports are complete and that they would be coming to council.
Brown wouldn’t say where he stands, but the mayor did say there are options.
“We could look at regional cooperation from Cornwall, better co-operation from the Crossroads (Fire Department in Stratford) who are building a new fire station. It’s all about working within the regional context, and I’m not talking about amalgamation. I’m just saying there are services we can share.’’