A new report calls for the upgrading or replacement of several paramedic and fire stations around Guelph and Wellington County.
The report from the City of Guelph says changes are in store for several paramedic and fire stations – including the replacement of the Guelph Fire headquarters on Wyndham Street within the next 10 years and the replacement of eight paramedic stations within the next three.
To determine which stations needed renovations or replacements to keep them functioning properly, city staff considered the building condition, layout, location, and whether the building and facilities were up to code.
If a station was determined to not meet the needs of the department and to impact how well they were serving the community, the report suggests it be updated, expanded or replaced within a specific time frame.
Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Services have 11 stations throughout Guelph and Wellington County. The report suggests eight of those don’t currently meet the needs of the service, and should be replaced as soon as possible within the next three years, including:
- Station No. 0 – 355 Elmira Road North, Unit 134 Melran Mall, Guelph
- Station No. 2 – 285 Queen Street East, Fergus
- Station No. 4 – 202 Industrial Drive, Mount Forest.
- Station No. 5 – 110 Smith Street, Arthur (Arthur Fire Station)
- Station No. 6 – 122 Robertson Street, Harriston
- Station No. 8 – 5141 Wellington Road 27, Rockwood (Guelph Eramosa Fire Station)
- Station No. 10 – 2 Station Street, Hillsburgh (Hillsburgh Fire Station)
- Future Station No. 7 – 30 John Street, Drayton
Many of these stations lack adequate space – with some locations having less than 150 square feet of dedicated space for paramedics, as well as a lack of wellness spaces and proper access to washroom facilities. There is risk of contamination after paramedics return from calls, given the lack of a decontamination area in five of the eight facilities.
The Elmira Road station is “frequently blocked,” making it difficult to get in or out of the station.
The report recommends the 34 Gordon St. station in Guelph be replaced within the next 10 years, and that the two paramedic warehouse facilities – one in Guelph on Elmira Road and one in Harriston – be amalgamated into one warehouse to operate more efficiently.
If Guelph were to construct all stations, the cost of these changes is estimated at $68 million. However, the County is accounting for the construction of five stations within their 10 year capital forecast, and a sixth station afterward.
The City of Guelph would likely be responsible for the replacement of the Gordon Street station within the 2024-2033 budget, costing a total of $11 million.
The eighth remaining station is to be included in an upcoming city or county capital budget, estimated at $7 million for new design and construction work to be incorporated into the budget.
Meanwhile, of the six fire stations located throughout the city, the report recommends the Guelph Fire headquarters on Wyndham Street be replaced within the next 10 years, changing the interior and expanding the size of Fire Station No. 3 on Stone Road within the next five years, and replacing Fire Station No. 2 on Speedvale Avenue within the next 20 years.
The Wyndham station has multiple operational and building deficiencies, including a poor layout that affects deployment times and secondary story dorms that provide health and safety risks. It also doesn’t have adequate storage space for bunker gear and PPE. This location is in a floodplain, which limits renovations to the building.
Renovations for the Speedvale station are limited as well, as this location is also on a floodplain. However, the design of the building is poor, the report states, which affects turn around times, and it lacks space for a wellness area. While it will meet department needs in the short term, the report recommends the city eventually relocate the building once it’s reached the end of its life.
The Stone Road station lacks space for living quarters, doesn’t have a wellness area, lacks storage, and has operational issues with heaters being too close to fire trucks.
The report also indicated changes to training in the future.
The Guelph Fire Department currently uses a portable burn trailer for training purposes. However, the report determined that when the trailer comes to the end of its life in 2028, it would be more cost-efficient to replace it with a burn tower structure, since these typically offer more training opportunities.
The tower would be permanent, though the location for it hasn’t been determined yet. It would cost around $2.45 million.
The total cost is estimated around $32 million, already included in the city’s budget, with $14.5 million to be incorporated in the 2024-2033 update.
