By Jennifer Smith - Vernon Morning Star - July 10, 2008
As the construction dust begins to settle on Coldstream’s new fire halls, some information is surfacing that the process was clouded by more than drywall powder. Two new fire halls have been in construction over the past year and are anticipated to be completed by Aug. 1. The Coldstream hall was started in July 2007 and work on the Lavington hall commenced in October 2007, following a referendum in 2006 to borrow $4 million to build the new facilities. A Freedom of Information request for correspondence during the construction reveals that instead of the fire departments co-ordinating construction, the District of Coldstream has held sole approving authority. In fact, the department’s members and chiefs were advised that everything must go through Coldstream’s chief administrative officer Wendy Kay. Whether the departments want an update, have a request or inquiry, or even if they want to visit the site to check on the progress, they need an OK from Kay. “It’s not that they weren’t allowed,” said Kay, of site visits that required approval due to liability issues.
The decision to have everything go through one person was necessary, says Mayor Gary Corner. “Once we’ve got all the designs and things done, then it’s up to the builder to build it,” said Corner. “You can’t have free reign over a construction site.” And the fire departments did have their say in the beginning, when wish lists and requirements were submitted and plans were reviewed. But there was a lack of consultation throughout the project, especially when changes were made, says Coldstream fire chief Leo Lecavalier. Budget concerns brought on several changes to plans, in order to complete construction of the two fire halls within the $4 million mark. “There’s been a few things that were asked for that just couldn’t be accommodated,” said Kay. Items such as landscaping at both halls and a barbecue patio at Coldstream were compromised when unexpected costs came up – such as the approximately $80,000 to $100,000 to remove contaminated soil at the Coldstream site.Cost was a factor in many changes, including moving overhead water filling for the trucks (which the Coldstream Fire Department had requested in its initial wish list from May 2006) to side filling.
Lecavalier says the reasoning for such changes could be very well justified, but he questions why his input was missing from the process. “Why didn’t they call? We are the fire guys that are going to use it. There is a reason that we do it this way.” Lecavalier says the hardest part about the changes isn’t adjusting to a new system, it’s answering to the 26 other volunteer firefighters who must get used to it. “I’ve gotta answer to my guys, I’ve gotta keep my guys coming back,” he said, adding that if they aren’t happy, they may stop committing themselves to the community. But in Lavington, few complaints have surfaced over the process, as firefighters are eager to receive a new hall. “This hall, for the size of community, it is perfect,” said Ian Gammie, deputy fire chief. “It’s building for the future.” Gammie admits that not everything the department had requested came through, but when it comes to meeting budgets, he understands.
The feelings among Coldstream councillors about the process is mixed. Jim Garlick says it was council’s intent to have the firefighters involved with the process from the beginning, but he’s not yet convinced that was the case. On the other hand, Mary Malerby and Glen Taylor, who are the two fire hall committee members from council, are quite pleased with the process and the results. “I’m really happy with how they turned out,” said Taylor, while touring the halls Monday. A separate view comes from Bill Firman, who isn’t overly thrilled with the look of the new Coldstream fire hall. “I think it’s ugly,” said Firman, who would also like to see the fire departments bring any concerns they have to council. He understands that the firefighters do an outstanding job, under a volunteer title at that. Therefore, his main concern is keeping the group, which keeps his community safe, happy. “They’re not paid, they’re volunteer. So I want to be nice to them.”
No comments:
Post a Comment