BY TREENA MIELKE
BLACK PRESS
A proposed new firehall tentatively scheduled for completion in the summer of 2015 is planned for Sylvan Lake, but council has not yet given the go-ahead for a borrowing bylaw for $5 million needed to help pay for the facility.
Council, at its Feb. 24 meeting, did not give first reading to the bylaw, which would see them borrow five million dollars from the Alberta Capital Finance Authority or another authorized financial institution.
“Council wants additional information,” said Mayor Sean McIntyre. “We have directed staff to come back with more information just to be sure everyone on council is up-to-date on the project.”
During budget deliberations council had looked at borrowing $3.3 million for the new fire hall with the first debenture payment of $135,000 being made during the year. (Debenture payments would be $270,000 annually on this debt).
Borrowing $1 million for a new ladder truck is also planned, but that might be stretched into 2015 rather than completed in 2014.
The mayor said the price of the proposed firehall came in at $4.626 million in January, 2013, but has now been bumped up to $6.27 million.
“The pricing was preliminary,” he said.
As well as a $5 million debenture, money for the firehall has been slated to come from a $600,000 grant, $151,181 from reserves and $518,869 from the sale of the current fire hall.
Mayor McIntyre said the fire department has out grown the present firehall.
“Both the number of volunteer members and the equipment used,” he said.
The proposed new firehall is to be located south of the RCMP station on Beacon Hill Drive.
“That location presented the best response time now and in the future,” said McIntyre.
Council will re-visit the borrowing bylaw later this spring.