PRINCE GEORGE

Tuesday, May 2, 2023 | 4:21 pm

Demolition of the old Fire Hall #1 on 7th Avenue will begin this month. The old building next to City Hall will be torn down on May 21. Four-way traffic lights will also be installed at the intersection of Dominion Street and 7th Avenue in the coming weeks.

On-site activities are expected throughout May and into mid-June. Businesses and residents in the area can expect some disruptions, which the City will reduce by:

• Using water to minimize dust dispersal.
• Minimizing noise by working only between 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday.
• Posting traffic disruptions to the News and Notices page on the City website.

All concrete, metal, and wood materials from the demolition will be recycled. Once cleared, the gravel site will be used as a temporary parking lot until the future of the property is determined through the Civic Core District Plan. Community engagement to draft a design for these key municipal properties will begin this spring and summer.

About the old Fire Hall #1

The old Fire Hall #1 was built in 1956, making it 67 years old. In the 2017 referendum, residents voted in favour of its replacement as the building was at the end of service life and renovations to modernize it would have been too costly.

Fire crews moved out of the old site and into the new Fire Hall #1 on Massey Drive in January 2021. It was then used as an office for the contractor responsible for the construction of the Canfor Leisure Pool.

Not all will be lost in the demolition as a little piece of history will soon find a new home. The original fire pole has been saved and will be put on display once a location is determined.

Written and released by City of Prince George