Chief Adam Eckhart can’t wait for construction on Welland Fire and Emergency Services’ new headquarters to finish.
“Let’s cut the ribbon and get in there,” he said.
He said the new Station 1 headquarters at 400 East Main St. and Station 2 at 636 King St. are shaping up, despite schedule revisions caused by delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The teams are refocusing.”
The city is working with the project management firm Mettko on the energy-efficient stations.
Eckhart said when contracts were signed to build the two stations, contractors acted as quickly as they could to order what supplies they needed for the job.
“There was a shortage … and that’s created some challenges.”
The chief said they were looking to find other options or substitutions for some of the supplies.
Despite the delays, almost all of the windows and doors are installed at the new headquarters, and crews were laying rebar to prepare for concrete floors in the crew quarters and truck bay, which has yet to be closed in.
“There are multiple contractors on site,” Eckhart said, adding roofers and bricklayers were expected soon.
He said everyone is working to get the site closed up before it gets too cold, and the city has put out a request for proposals for the training tower to go at the back of headquarters.
A layer of asphalt has been laid to allow plows in to clear snow as contractors work throughout the winter on the interior. The berm on site will be capped soon, as well.
One thing not at the East Main Street build are working smoke alarms. They are not required in the unoccupied structure.
Eckhart took that fact as an opportunity to remind residents to test and change batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in light of the recent time change.
On King Street, behind the current headquarters, framers are setting up walls. The fire service was working to open a larger area for parking for businesses in the area while construction is underway.
At the site for the new Station 3, at 924 Prince Charles Dr. N., a Phase 1 environmental assessment has been completed, and it’s now on to a Phase 2 assessment.
“The report is looking good,” said Eckhart, adding when crews were assessing the site they ran into the remains of a church. “There was a small structure on site before.”
Eckhart said the new Station 1 headquarters has been 80 years in the making.
“These are exciting times. We’re grateful the mayor and council approved them. This is a significant investment in the city.”
