Belleville is moving forward with a plan to relocate two fire halls in the city.
At Monday’s meeting, Council approved a staff report on future locations for what will become Stations 2 (urban/west) and 4 (in Thurlow).
The report recommended that Council designate 3.5 acres of land for the purposes of a future composite fire station and fire training facility to replace current station 4 on Harmony Road.
The preferred site is the new location of the Belleville Fairgrounds on Black Diamond Road just east of Highway 37.
It further recommends that Council designate 1.5 acres of land at the old fairgrounds property for a future career fire station to replace current station 2 on Moira Street West, which was originally built in 1949.
Council passed the motion by a vote of 5-3 but not without some concerns.
Councillor Paul Carr says the composite fire station on Black Diamond Road is another step in the eventual phasing out of the volunteer firefighter component.
The new composite fire station (new station 4) will have resources for volunteer firefighters dealing with fires in Ward 2/Thurlow and also one static pumper truck allocated to respond to fires (primarily) in the subdivisions in Cannifton.
The link to the staff report is here.
