Rideau Lakes Township picks Lombardy, Ont. for new fire station after 2021 fire
The Township of Rideau Lakes announced on Wednesday that Fire Station 2 will be rebuilt in the community of Lombardy after a fire destroyed the original Station 2 in Portland in December 2021.
In a statement, the township says it has entered into an agreement to acquire a five-acre piece of land near the corner of Highway 15 and Otter Lake Road, determining that it was the optimal area to build the new station on the Highway 15 corridor.
The township noted the new location of Fire Station 2 was a complex matter and took into account the future needs of the community.
The statement goes on to say the location will result in an even distribution of fire stations across the township, with one located in each ward. Current sites in North Crosby, Elgin and Delta will not change under this decision.
The village of Portland is centrally located between the new station, and the Delta and Elgin fire stations, and it will continue to be effectively serviced the statement reads.
"Rideau Lakes is a very large rural municipality at 750 square kilometres. Today’s decision is another example of our commitment to strategic decision making with a long-term and fiscally responsible lens," said Rideau Lakes Township Mayor Arie Hoogenboom. "This decision will provide a balanced approach to fire and rescue response locations across the entire municipality."
Fire Chief Scott Granahan said, "The feedback regarding the new station location from firefighters has been extremely positive. This site will also allow more community members from the South Elmsley ward and surrounding area to consider joining the department and serving our community."
The three station vehicles that were lost in the 2021 fire have been replaced, with insurance covering the costs, along with all station equipment.
The new station will be covered by insurance on a full-replacement-cost basis, with extra enhancements added, to be paid for by the township.
Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.