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DAVID JALA

CAPE BRETON POST

SYDNEY — CBRM council has officially approved the new location for Sydney’s downtown fire station.

The relocation of the facility presently situated on the waterfront side of the Esplanade was made necessary after the province identified that site as part of the future home of the Nova Scotia Community College’s new downtown Sydney campus.

While the preferred site for Sydney Station No. 1 was identified late last year, it was only this week that council puts its stamp of approval on the Cape Breton Regional Municipality-owned location at the south west corner of George and Pitt streets.

And that didn’t happen until Coun. Amanda McDougall received an answer to her question as to why the site selection process was not subject to a public hearing, citing concerns raised by the nearby Highland Arts Theatre about lack of consultation as to the potential impact of the relocation.

“Is that not part of the process here? Do we just approve land and we don’t take into consideration the area?” asked McDougall.

The answer came from CBRM chief administrative officer Marie Walsh.

“It is a safety-related situation that we relied on experts and expert opinion from a report the (firefighters) union had put forward — so, that’s why we didn’t do a public consultation, I don’t consider it the same as any other building,” replied Walsh.

“We base it on response times, something that is acceptable and that can service the downtown given the amount of infrastructure there, so for this type of building I would rely on an expert as opposed to whether another building wants it next to them or not.”

Meanwhile, Brian Latimer of Dillon Consulting, the local engineering firm tasked with reviewing potential fire station locations, unveiled some details of the project that must be completed before the Esplanade station can be razed to allow for NSCC construction.

Latimer said the new site meets all of the key requirements, including square-footage, accessibility, set-backs and parking, and that a three-storey fire hall will be attached to a large bay area that will be accessed from both ends.

“There will be two drive-thru bays but they will really be functioning as four bays,” said Latimer.

“We’re looking at 90-foot long bays with two vehicles, that would be the aerial fire truck and a pumper truck, facing and ready to exit onto George Street and there will also be two vehicles facing Bentinck Street and ready to exit that way.”

In a related development, CBRM council approved a zoning change to allow for the NSCC construction to proceed. It also OKed plans to shut Falmouth Street from the Esplanade to its end at the waterfront boardwalk.

During the public hearing portion of the meeting, municipality resident Frank King took to the podium to question whether the people would still have access to the waterfront and if the playground located nearby will remain after the NSCC build.

However, an official with Fathom design firm said that the new campus design would incorporate public access to the waterfront, but he said he could not guarantee that the playground would be kept.

david.jala@cbpost.com