Mammoth CFB Esquimalt construction project spans two decades

By Robert Randall • Published on Tuesday, June 29, 2010 • Categorized as Business & the Local Economy, Construction & Land Development, Infrastructure, Local News, Real-estate

Although it’s been in the works since 1998, it’s likely few Victorians have noticed what will become one of Victoria’s largest new buildings.

Its formal name is FMF Cape Breton but it’s more commonly know as the Fleet Maintenance Unit, the Navy’s newest addition to CFB Esquimalt and the central hub for the repair and overhaul of Canada’s west coast naval fleet.

Artist's rendering showing the fully re-developed “Ship Repair Zone” at the Esquimalt Dockyard as it should appear upon completion of the FMF Shop Consolidation Project. Photo © Canadian Forces

Base spokesman Lt. Michael McWhinney says the colossal construction project will replace 32 obsolete buildings scattered throughout the base with three new buildings under one roof. The old buildings, some dating back to the Second World War, are being demolished one-by-one as the five phase project unfolds. Environmental soil remediation is being done on all cleared land.

McWhinney says the old buildings made for an inefficient workflow, with parts needing fabrication and repair being shuttled from building to building. In addition, the structures had insufficient utility services for modern needs.

Phase Four is currently under development and carries a price tag of $231 million. Canadian Forces is seeking funding for completion of the fifth phase, scheduled to begin in 2015.

When the project is completed, the Fleet Maintenance Facility will total over 310,000 square feet. The Wal-Mart Superstore currently under construction in Saanich has 215,000 square feet on two floors.

The construction of Phase Three was carried out by PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc. Stuart Olsen is the contractor for the current phase.

The Canadian Forces employs 4,000 military personnel and 2,000 civilians locally and contributes $650 million to the region’s economy.

A thread dedicated to CFB Esquimalt and the Dockyard can be found here on VibrantVictoria’s discussion forum.

Tagged as: CFB Esquimalt, construction, Infrastructure, Victoria construction

Responses to this Headline or Article

The five most recent replies to VibrantVictoria.ca's discussion forum's [Esquimalt] Dockyard / Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt | U/C thread, the most relevant thread to the above headline or article:

AllseeingEye

Mar 19, 2012 at 4:25 pm

Quote: I do not think any country that has added any new diesel electric subs in the last generation have not done well with the costs or with keeping them in operation. To have bought the equivalent subs elsewhere would have been a $2 billion cost.

It seems if you want to operate subs, you have to expect very high costs.

I would agree if you are speaking strictly about nuclear boats; OTOH you can acquire French Scorpene diesel subs - brand new - for $300 million/unit. Interestingly too nations much smaller than Canada, including Sweden and the Netherlands, have thriving submarine submarine design and export industries. Even Venezuela has acquired diesel subs which, all things considered, are actually relatively cheap in acquistion terms.

In fact the US Navy is so concerned about the potential of diesel subs in terms of their ability to sail quietly, virtually undetected in key strategic waters, that they recently drilled extensively for over 2 years with a Swedish diesel boat and crew, in order to better understand what their own nuclear boats would be up against in potential combat situations. Relative to the dollars spent diesel submarines are actually a good (military) investment, assuming of course you do your due diligence and don't wind up buying someone else's junk.....

VicHockeyFan

Mar 25, 2012 at 5:54 am

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/todays-paper/Free+parking+part+traffic+problem/6356468/story.html

This just make way too much sense, doesn't it. Especially at DND.

Quote: To start with, let's stop giving away free parking to employees unless the employer is willing to offer a menu of choices such as an employer-paid bus pass. The simple solution is to cash out free parking by giving all employees the cash and then charging for parking. The employees then get to decide how to spend the cash. They can buy a $100 parking spot, $80 bus pass, a bicycle or even choose to live near where they work.

By giving a free parking spot, we take away the economic choice from the consumer and continue, in the case of the DND parking, to use tax dollars to subsidize the single occupancy vehicle.

Bingo

Mar 25, 2012 at 7:14 am

Now that the Blue Boat service has been cancelled, this would be the time to try running the Budd cars back and forth on the E&N line from Langford to DND.

Or another idea would be to use the rail right of way to run busses back and forth. It could be managed like a railway with pullouts and to allow busses to pass each other.

Here is an example of how it is done.

Traffic returns to Stromeferry bypass route.. after rail line is adapted for cars
Mar 20 2012 By David Love

Image

Read more:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2012/03/20/traffic-returns-to-stromeferry-bypass-route-after-rail-line-is-adapted-for-cars-86908-23795119/

Sparky

Mar 25, 2012 at 7:27 am

Nice work Bingo.

VicHockeyFan

Mar 25, 2012 at 8:08 am

Jeez, that railway conversion fixed a 140-km detour.

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