ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: September 17, 2001
Author/Local: Wilf Ferguson

RTS NO. 02283

CC File No. 1611

Council: October 2, 2001

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	General Manager of Fire and Rescue Services in consultation with the Director of Facilities Development
SUBJECT:	Reconstruction of Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services Training Offices

RECOMMENDATIONS

A. THAT Council approve additional funding of $535,000 for the construction of a two storey combined classroom and office building for Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, as a replacement for the existing temporary offices/classrooms which was scheduled to be relocated; source of funding to be unused portions of the 1997-1999 Capital Plan for Firehall No. 3 ($182,000) and Firehall No. 18 ($353,000) Replacement; said reallocation falls within the original purpose of the borrowing authority.

B. THAT the existing contract for architectural services with Roger Hughes and Partners Architects be extended to include the design of the centre at a fee equal to the Schedule of Fees set by the Architectural Institute of British Columbia for such work.

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services RECOMMENDS approval of A and B.

COUNCIL POLICY

To identify Capital Funding priorities in the three- year Capital Plans. These plans and the associated Capital Financing Plans are developed such that the plan and necessary borrowing authority can be put to the voters at the time of triennial civic elections.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to recommend to Council that further existing surplus unallocated Fire Capital Funds from Firehalls No. 3 and No. 18 ($535,000) be reallocated to the funds approved to the relocation of Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services temporary classrooms and Training Offices ($335,000) to allow for construction of a permanent training facility.

BACKGROUND

On July 13, 1994, City Council approved the relocation of Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services' Training Facility from a site at the foot of Main Street to the East end of the Burlington Northern Lands, property that had been purchased for the relocation of Cambie Yards and for Park purposes. At that time temporary facilities were built to provide immediate space for needed training and to allow flexibility in planning the ultimate use and layout of the Fire Training Site. Three temporary classrooms, offices for the training staff and apparatus storage buildings were constructed on City lands purchased for the Engineering Works Yard, west of Chess Street. These buildings will now have to be moved to the East side of Chess Street due to the impending move of the Engineering Yards to the BNR lands which has received approval of Council in the 2000-2002 Capital Plan and which will be under construction this year.

The 1997-1999 Capital Plan provided $3.2 million for the replacement of Firehall No. 18 and $2.7 million for the replacement of Firehall No. 3. In light of private partnerships for the use of space in the firehalls and cost-effective budgetary controls, there was a surplus of approximately $375,900 in Firehall No. 18 and $567,400 in Firehall No. 3 budgets. Firehalls No.3 and 18 were completed in 2001 under budget.

On June 7, 2001, City Council approved, as part of the 2001 Supplementary Capital Budget, $335,000 for the Relocation of VFRS Training Offices/Classrooms and $50,000 for strengthening Firehall No. 6, with funding from the surplus Fire Basic Capital for Firehall No.3 replacement, leaving a balance of $182,400 in Firehall No. 3 Capital Budget.

In 1995, Council approved the reallocation of $2.36 million of the $2.86 million approved in the 1994-1996 Capital Plan for the reconstruction of Firehall No. 18 to the new E-Comm Centre and the remaining $500,000 towards design of a new Firehall No. 15 to accommodate a backup dispatch centre for E-Comm. The backup centre was deferred, leaving an additional unallocated $477,000 in the Firehall Capital Account. A portion of this funding will likely be required to supplement Firehall No. 13 budget, currently under design.

DISCUSSION

Facilities Development has estimated the cost to relocate the existing portable classrooms and training fire hydrants at $335,000. However, if the three single storey classrooms are moved East of Chess Street substantially less land will be available to conduct training exercises and the Department's ability to train its staff would be reduced. Further analysis also concluded that relocating the existing portables will not be cost-effective as a long-term solution. An alternate proposal was therefore developed for a permanent two storey combined classroom and office building which will use a little more than 50 percent of the square footage that the current building requires and would meet the long-term needs of the department. Utilizing the smaller footprint for the building will allow Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services to minimize the disruption to the training programs that this move is causing. The cost of a new two storey structure has been estimated at approximately $1.0 million. With the $335,000 transfer from Firehall No. 3 and $130,000 from the sale of the existing portables, $535,000 of additional funding is required.

PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS

As this facility replaces an existing building, no additional staff are required.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Council has already approved the relocation of the existing training facility at a cost of $335,000. Rather than move the existing portables, the Fire Department is proposing to delay the relocation of the facility, at no additional cost to the Engineering Yards project, and replace the existing single storey classroom and office building with a two-storey building to be constructed on Fire Department leased lands to the east of Chess Street, at an estimated cost of $1.0 million (Appendix A - on file in City Clerk's Office). With Council approved allocation of $335,000 from existing Capital and possible revenue of $130,000 from the sale of the existing portable reduces the additional funding requirement to $535,000. The construction of a new training facility will delay the intended move of the existing facility by two months at no additional cost to the Engineering Yards project.

In order to expedite the move it is recommended that the contract with Roger Hughes and Partners Architects, who are currently designing Firehall No. 13, be extended to include this facility.

This report requests Council's authority for the transfer of $182,000 from the unused Capital Funding in Firehall No. 3 and $352,000 in Firehall No. 18 to fund the $535,000 shortfall, leaving an unallocated balance of $23,000 in Firehall No.18 and $400 in Firehall No. 3 Capital Accounts.

CONCLUSION

Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services Chess Street classrooms and offices are located on City lands purchased for the Engineering Works Yard which is required for the development of their new yards and does not satisfy all of the department's long-term training needs. Moving the existing single storey modular unit reduces the usable Fire Training grounds. Building a permanent new two storey building will allow existing Fire Training Programs to continue. Funding will be provided from existing Fire Capital Balances and the sale of the existing portables.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver