Firefighters move into new Edmonds hall

By Dan Hilborn
Published Dec. 24, 2004


Captain Mark Fletcher has lots of memories about the old No. 2 firehall. It leaked, it stank in winter, it was far too small and, one night, after returning from an emergency call, he found a homeless person had climbed through an open window and fallen asleep in his bunk.

But, thankfully, those days are over after a new $3.15 million concrete and brick firehall, complete with an automated locking system, opened its door on Edmonds Street this week.

The new 14,828-square-foot facility located next door to Edmonds community school will have its formal grand opening in the new year, but Fletcher and the firefighters from 'B' shift, were glad to be the first crew through the doors last week.

"Everybody's happy about this," Fletcher said as he led a Burnaby NOW reporter and photographer on a tour through the new facility last week. "This is good. The guys got a lot of input to this design, and they do like it."

The new firehall has all the bells and whistles of its most recent predecessor, firehall No. 5, that opened on Hastings Street just three years ago, except for one major difference. The new Edmonds hall has loads of extra space to accommodate new programs and services needed for one of the fastest-growing neighbourhoods in the city.

In addition to the two fire trucks that have traditionally served the southeast portion of the city - a 1,500-gallon-per-minute capacity pumper truck and 103-foot ladder truck - the new firehall has an additional third truck bay that will eventually house another firefighting vehicle for the neighbourhood.

The hall also has a second floor, which houses the bunks and showers for the firefighters, a separate sleeping and shower room for female firefighters, a large exercise room and a small gymnasium, complete with rubberized floor. The hall is also the new home to an old brass fire pole that used to grace the main No. 1 firehall on Sperling Avenue.

The large kitchen comes complete with an industrial-sized gas grill and oven, and is located over top one of the most unique features of the new Edmonds hall - a 15-bay, secured underground parking lot.

The front of the firehall sports an administrative centre with windows overlooking the street, and there is a community meeting room that has already been used by the local merchants' association.

Fletcher is also proud of the fact that he served his first shift with the Burnaby fire department inside the old firehall No. 2, and that he was also the captain on duty the night the first shift came into the new hall.

"This is an interesting community to work in," said Fletcher, who made sure the crew brought over the 'Sunnyvale - Trailer Park Boys' sign from the big steel and canvas tent that served as their temporary home for two years while the new facility was being built.

"We get everything up here, from the hookers and pimps on Kingsway, to the big homes in the Buckingham Heights neighbourhood," he said. "I've worked for the fire department since 1978, and I still love it."

Some of that diversity was evident during the course of this interview, which was interrupted three times as the crew from firehall No. 2 responded to emergency calls.

According to deputy fire chief Dave Duck, the new firehall came in on time and on budget, and fits into the overall plan to upgrade or replace each of the buildings that house the city's 250 firefighters.

Two years ago, Burnaby opened the doors to a new Hall No. 5 on Hastings Street, replacing another 50-year-old building, and the next on the list will be a completely new Firehall No. 7, that will service the west side of the city from a location somewhere near Canada Way and Gilmore.