• Design updates for Stouffville’s new Fire Station 5-2 and Paramedic Response Station were presented during Council’s Dec. 11 meeting.
  • The project is a partnership between the Town and the Regional Municipality of York, which is responsible for paramedic response services.
  • The new station, located at 4902 Aurora Road, will feature a primarily brick design to complement the character and aesthetic of the surrounding Ballantrae neighbourhood.
  • Designed by Thomas Brown Architects, the facility is on track to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification.
  • With 60% of the design work now complete, Town Staff will prepare a tender package for the $9.75 million project.
  • Stouffville will look to utilize short-term construction loans as needed to fund the station and plans to avoid taking on additional long-term debt.

 

“Over the past year, Thomas Brown Architects’ consultants have worked with staff from the Town and York Region in developing a functional floor plan that satisfied the needs of both parties…and an exterior design that aligns with the architectural tone for development in the Ballantrae area,” the related Staff report states.

“As a sophisticated work environment for highly trained staff, the facility houses state-of-the-art equipment and quarters for firefighters and paramedics. The station’s design prioritizes efficiency and safety, with spacious bays for emergency vehicles,” the report adds.

Additional priorities noted in the report include functionality, sustainability, community integration, and adaptability to future needs.

“Part of this process has been to design a facility that we would call state-of-the-art and that meets the needs and is tailored towards the use of both fire and EMS staff,” said Chris Kubbinga of Thomas Brown Architects during a presentation to Council.

“But there’s also the piece of designing a building that will fit well within the community, and I think that—in dialogue with project stakeholders—we have designed a facility that is going to be robust, sustainable, and blend in well with the community,” he added.

Following Kubbinga’s presentation, Councillor Sue Sherban praised the design’s sustainability focus. “What we do here today will affect the generations of the future, and I believe we need to lead by example,” she said. “The work you have put in to make sure that we are targeting a level of LEED is wonderful.”

Mayor Iain Lovatt also expressed similar appreciation, and he highlighted the facility’s capacity for rooftop solar panels during the meeting.

“We are very excited about the design presented at Council this week and look forward to seeing this LEED Silver project begin in Ballantrae,” Lovatt said in comments to Bullet Point News. “Station 5-2’s new home will not only improve response times in our coverage area but also provide AODA compliance and become a station we can all be proud of—serving Stouffville for decades to come.”

The existing Fire Station 5-2 is located at 15400 Highway 48. That property has been declared as surplus, and Town Staff have been directed to list it for sale. Stouffville plans to lease it back until the new station is built and operational, and revenue generated from the sale would help fund the new facility.

Should the property sale proceed as planned, it would significantly reduce the need for debt financing. If external funding is required, Stouffville intends to utilize short-term construction loans through the Ontario Infrastructure and Lands Corporation (OILC).

“The construction loan operates like a line of credit where the Town only pays for what it uses. This is a flexible method to manage a construction project as payments are made based on progress billings,” the Staff report explains. “It is Staff’s expectation that the funds provided by OILC for the construction of Station 5-2 will be repaid through internal sources.”

“We’re looking to avoid taking on any long-term debt related to the station, because I recognize Main Street, the Leisure Centre pool expansion, and other large capital projects on the horizon are likely going to require that type of financing,” Jeremy Harness, Stouffville’s Commissioner of Finance and Treasurer, told Bullet Point News.

York Region has budgeted for the paramedic station and will reimburse the Town for their share of the project costs.

Stouffville will still be securing the option for long-term debt financing, should any be required. “If the entire construction project budget of $9.75 million was debentured over 25 years, the annual repayment amount is estimated at $645,000,” the Staff report offered as a hypothetical scenario. “Though, as discussed, this is not the intention.”

Exterior renderings of the station design have been released by the Town and are available online. Site plan and floor plan drawings can also be viewed in Thomas Brown Architects’ presentation slide deck.

*Cover image property of and used with permission from Thomas Brown Architects