49 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

They shouldn’t. 

 

Why?  They are essentially a mobile ER nurse with a lower workload or number of serious cases per day.

 

We should question why firefighters are paid so much.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 18 July 2022 - 06:29 AM.

[lanforod]

Paramedics get paid too little. Firefighters are fine. IMHO

[Victoria Watcher]

The cost of replacing Saanich’s No. 2 fire hall has nearly doubled due to delays, material costs and design changes over the past four years.

 

Noting it had very little choice, Saanich council on Monday night approved a one-time budget increase to $44.6 million for the redevelopment of the Elk Lake Drive site, a project that was originally costed at $26.6 million.

 

 

https://www.timescol...to-446m-6908735

 

 

 

 

A project that should actually cost next to nothing, by putting it in the ground floor of a housing complex.

 

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 26 April 2023 - 04:40 AM.

[lanforod]

Exactly what I was thinking. Do this as a PPP and it'd be pretty much free.

[Mike K.]

That’s not how it works, guys. To make up the density bonus of even a $40 million fire hall you’d need a thousand units there for it all to make sense. You can’t just plunk a 150-unit building on top of a firehall and the muni considers that a done deal, with no cost to the taxpayer.

[Victoria Watcher]

That’s not how it works, guys. To make up the density bonus of even a $40 million fire hall you’d need a thousand units there for it all to make sense. You can’t just plunk a 150-unit building on top of a firehall and the muni considers that a done deal, with no cost to the taxpayer.

 

If that property were approved for 150 units, what would the land cost be?

[Victoria Watcher]

If that property were approved for 150 units, what would the land cost be?

 

 

 

 

The floor-space-ratio (FSR 2.6) allowed on the Moodyville neighbourhood site, equals a price of $229 per buildable square foot, according to Klein Group of Companies, Vancouver, brokers on the deal.

 

http://www.roryc.ca/...ng-high-values/

 

 

 

$229/sq. ft. buildable space.

 

1000 sq. ft. apartment x $229 = $229,000 per unit.

 

150 units = $34.35 million.

[Mike K.]

70k/unit.

So you want a $47 million fire hall, for gifting a developer a $10 million parcel. Where’s the remaining $37 million coming from?

[lanforod]

Maybe it wouldn't be completely free, but it'd be a major savings. Also, the firehall portion of a larger development wouldn't be $47m.

[Victoria Watcher]

70k/unit.

So you want a $47 million fire hall, for gifting a developer a $10 million parcel. Where’s the remaining $37 million coming from?

 

No, no, no.

 

Add density and it's $229,000 per unit as per my calculations above.

 

We have a fire hall to pay for here.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 26 April 2023 - 07:57 AM.

[Mike K.]

Maybe it wouldn't be completely free, but it'd be a major savings. Also, the firehall portion of a larger development wouldn't be $47m.

It would cost even more.

[Victoria Watcher]

Fire hall is just a reinforced garage. It’s nothing special.

They don’t even make sense in 2023.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 26 April 2023 - 09:38 AM.

[Mike K.]

They don’t need all of that pizazz, it’s true. We have created a scenario where another provincial responsibility has been downloaded to the municipal tax payer (fire responding to medical calls).

The firefighters unions are very strong, though. Way stronger than police unions, it looks like.

[Victoria Watcher]

There is no actual agreement for fire to go on medical calls. That’s also nuts.

[Victoria Watcher]

He and others on council suggested taking the issue to the Union of B.C. Municipalities, which could hold discussions with the province.

Fire Chief Tim Doyle said Nanaimo does not have an agreement with the province’s emergency health services to do medical aid calls.

No details were provided on how a formal agreement might work. Different communities have different agreements and Nanaimo council wants to see examples of what is in place elsewhere.


https://www.timescol...l-calls-6895527

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 26 April 2023 - 09:47 AM.

[lanforod]

Aren't there like, numerous comparison buildings we can extrapolate from?

[Victoria Watcher]

No. Just one in Vancouver.

[lanforod]

How bout this: http://www.calgaryci...ens-louise.html

[Mike K.]

The Dalmatian downtown has a $33.5 million fire hall, and the City approved an additional ~500 units next door. Taxpayers are paying the $33.5 million.

[Victoria Watcher]

Well we never suggested looking to CoV for innovation. They have been working on a new pool for two decades.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 26 April 2023 - 01:49 PM.