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[Victoria] Fire Station #1 | 1234 Yates Street

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#21 Mike K.

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Posted 11 November 2013 - 08:15 PM

Yes the latter is without question, but are infrastructure funding issues the result of City Hall having funded pet projects at the bequest of elected officials or is there more to the story? I mean keeping our infrastructure in good shape should be a priority but the public (i.e. the financiers) tend to learn about major infrastructure funding issues when a piece of infrastructure has literally come to the end of its lifespan and needs immediate (and costly) attention.

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#22 sebberry

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Posted 11 November 2013 - 08:33 PM

When was the last time you saw a candidate for council campaign on 100 year infrastructure budgeting and management?

It's all about bike lanes and composting, the short-term warm and fuzzy stuff that looks good on those door knob cards they leave for you when you didn't open the door for them.

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#23 phx

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Posted 11 November 2013 - 09:26 PM

How much funding do you expect staff to need? I'm not familiar with the City of Victoria telling it engineers that they had absolutely no budget to maintain integral infrastructure. Are you? Maybe I'm missing something?


I have no inside knowledge of the City of Victoria engineering dept.

I feel safe in believing that they want to do a good job and do the best they can with the available resources. I haven't heard anything to the contrary.

City council, on the other hand, has proven to be inept.

#24 eseedhouse

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Posted 11 November 2013 - 09:50 PM

I feel safe in believing that they want to do a good job and do the best they can with the available resources. I haven't heard anything to the contrary.

City council, on the other hand, has proven to be inept.


I think you mean "councils". The present council seems to be trying to do something about it. Of course, they'll get the blame for "blowing" all that money.

#25 Mike K.

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Posted 11 November 2013 - 10:26 PM

eseedhouse, this is one of those incredibly rare times that I have had no choice but to moderate someone making a comment directed at me.

I like to think we can converse on this forum without having to resort to put downs, no matter who they are directed at. Consider this a warning. The next time your post is moderated for similar content your account will be suspended.

When was the last time you saw a candidate for council campaign on 100 year infrastructure budgeting and management?

It's all about bike lanes and composting, the short-term warm and fuzzy stuff that looks good on those door knob cards they leave for you when you didn't open the door for them.


So are you saying that infrastructure maintenance is the responsibility of elected officials who spend as little as three years sitting on council?

I would think (well, I guess now I'm not so sure so I hope) that engineers and experts working for the City of Victoria are the ones at the helm here and the maintenance of our infrastructure is not in the hands of lawyers, restaurateurs and environmentalists.

I feel safe in believing that they want to do a good job and do the best they can with the available resources. I haven't heard anything to the contrary.

City council, on the other hand, has proven to be inept.


eseedhouse seems to think city council is in fact tackling the problems.

This issue is really divisive. On the one hand we have professionals who didn't realize that the JSB was deteriorating until 2009 while councils were operating with the impression that the $1 million upgrade in ~2000 would give the bridge an extended life. This disconnect is very confusing and a little concerning.

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#26 amor de cosmos

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Posted 12 November 2013 - 07:52 AM

I think you mean "councils". The present council seems to be trying to do something about it. Of course, they'll get the blame for "blowing" all that money.


& also for trying to scrounge up the money to pay for it all. the ctf is already complaining

The City of Victoria’s asset management report released this week outlined the crisis faced by taxpayers: tens of millions of dollars are needed in a few short years to repair and upgrade amenities like the Crystal Pool, the Bay Street Bridge and the main Victoria fire hall.

That doesn’t include niceties like bike lanes or imposed projects like regional sewage treatment, which on its own promises colossal tax hikes.



As pointed out by Jordan Bateman of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation: “it’s a bad time to be a Victoria property taxpayer.” Looming tax increases from regional sewage will likely max out residents’ taxation capacity for years to come.

http://www.vicnews.c.../226328861.html

#27 sebberry

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Posted 12 November 2013 - 09:30 AM

So are you saying that infrastructure maintenance is the responsibility of elected officials who spend as little as three years sitting on council?

I would think (well, I guess now I'm not so sure so I hope) that engineers and experts working for the City of Victoria are the ones at the helm here and the maintenance of our infrastructure is not in the hands of lawyers, restaurateurs and environmentalists.


Unfortunately it's the lawyers, restaurateurs and environmentalists who control the purse strings.

As I mentioned before, I'm sure that the city engineers have reported the deficiencies with infrastructure to council. I don't think council knows how best to act on the recommendations, and I sure don't see them taking the initiative to set up a funding model to pay for this over the next 100 years.

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#28 Bingo

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Posted 13 November 2013 - 04:11 PM

The new Central Saanich No. 1 Firehall

Is 21,500 square feet, has 8 bays, and is built to Post Disaster Standards. Other features include geothermal heating, solar thermal systems, site bioswale and other sustainable features, including a LEEDs silver certification.

http://www.centralsa...n_Fire_Hall.htm









#29 sebberry

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Posted 13 November 2013 - 04:13 PM

Thanks for that, Bingo!

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#30 Nparker

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Posted 13 November 2013 - 06:24 PM

It's probably a sad fact that the CoV can only dream of building a fire station as good as this. Enough with the touchy-feely crap already Victoria - deal with REAL issues like fire halls, water lines and getting taxes down. We cannot afford any more social engineering experiments. :whyme:

#31 G-Man

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Posted 14 November 2013 - 09:51 AM

The one in Central Saanich is nice but CoV will need a much bigger building for all of the equipment based there.

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#32 Bingo

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Posted 14 November 2013 - 12:34 PM

The one in Central Saanich is nice but CoV will need a much bigger building for all of the equipment based there.


If that equipment isn't buried under earthquake rubble before they get around to building one.

Central Saanich only took two years to get the job done. How long has Victoria known that they needed to get a new No.1 firehall?

#33 concorde

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Posted 14 November 2013 - 04:17 PM

If that equipment isn't buried under earthquake rubble before they get around to building one.

Central Saanich only took two years to get the job done. How long has Victoria known that they needed to get a new No.1 firehall?


It look longer than that. Construction was 18 months plus it didn't start for a year after it was tendered. I would say from concept to completion was 5+ years

#34 Bingo

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Posted 14 November 2013 - 06:01 PM

It look longer than that. Construction was 18 months plus it didn't start for a year after it was tendered. I would say from concept to completion was 5+ years


Thanks for the correction, I was only going by the construction period.

It would be interesting to know when the city actually knew they needed to seismically upgrade the present fire hall, and then see how long it takes from "concept to completion".

#35 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 14 November 2013 - 06:48 PM





What's this? Emergency drinking water?
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#36 Bingo

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Posted 15 November 2013 - 06:52 AM

What a great idea...

A potential replacement for Victoria’s Fire Station No. 1 could include other public facilities, such as a library, housing or an emergency operations centre, Victoria councillors have decided.

http://www.timescolonist.com/victoria-council-to-consider-mixed-use-fire-hall-1.697601

Sign me up for a room above the engine bays, as long as it has one of those fire poles. I don't do stairs all that well.

#37 Bingo

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Posted 15 November 2013 - 07:05 AM

What's this? Emergency drinking water?


Truck Washing: Keeping trucks clean of contaminates, mud and etcetera add to the useful life of vehicles and equipment. A Cadillac building would be outfitted with an under washer that automatically activates as trucks return to the building. We will manually clean the trucks, either inside or outside the building, using water collected from roof run-off into four large storage tanks.

more:

http://saltspringexc...erescue-centre/

#38 amor de cosmos

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Posted 15 November 2013 - 08:36 AM

Victoria council to consider mixed-use fire hall
Bill Cleverley / Times Colonist
November 14, 2013 09:38 PM

A potential replacement for Victoria’s Fire Station No. 1 could include other public facilities, such as a library, housing or an emergency operations centre, Victoria councillors have decided.

Many fire halls being built today are mixed-use buildings, said Coun. Pam Madoff, citing the new South Granville fire hall in Vancouver, which includes a library.

“There’s other [fire hall] projects across the country that have housing associated with them as well,” Madoff said Thursday during a city council workshop on capital priorities.

Some discussions have already begun with the Justice Institute about the potential for a multi-purpose training centre when a new facility is built, said John Sturdy, assistant director of engineering and public works.

http://www.timescolo...e-hall-1.697601

#39 Mike K.

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Posted 15 November 2013 - 08:42 AM

Housing. Housing?

Well I suppose it could be a building for firemen and their families. City hall would save a lot of money having firemen on-call as opposed to sitting around for half the time ;)

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#40 James Bay walker

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Posted 15 November 2013 - 08:53 AM

City hall would save a lot of money having firemen on-call as opposed to sitting around for half the time ;)

Are you suggesting firemen are fighting fires for half the time? Makes the city sound a dangerous place, indeed. [I'd of thought they'd be active maybe 10% of their time and firefighting much less than 2% of their time.] Aside from training and equipment preparation/maintenance, do firemen do much else? I know the prevention department inspects / tests systems in highrises and such from time to time.

jbw

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