'This is a vital community hub': Temporary fire hall prompts opposition from some Vancouver residents
Some Vancouver residents fear losing green space if a proposed temporary fire hall is approved in their neighbourhood.
Dana Deschene has lived in Strathcona for over a decade and said the park at Union Street and Gore Avenue is a meaningful place to residents.
“This is a vital community hub,” she said. “There’s often lemonade stands that happen and sun bathers. It’s a very active space.”
Deschene said the park also provides important shade to residents in an area where green space is limited.
A 2022 Vancouver Tree Canopy Assessment found Strathcona had the lowest canopy cover, with only nine per cent. In comparison, Shaughnessy had the highest with 41 per cent.
“This community needs this green space, especially with urban heat on the rise,” Deschene said.
Deschene started a petition opposing the fire hall, stating the site "serves as a crucial link between Chinatown and Strathcona, offering residents respite from urban sprawl."
"It is not merely a patch of vegetation, but a thriving hub for picnics, children's play, cyclists seeking refuge, and community gatherings," the petition continues.
The temporary fire hall annex is slated to be located at 722 Gore Ave. According to a rezoning booklet from the City of Vancouver, the proposed site is an effort to relieve the current operational and safety pressures at Fire Hall 2, one of Vancouver Fire Rescue Services' busiest halls.
Matthew Trudeau, a public information officer with VFRS, said the hall at Main and Powell streets averages 1,800 calls per month.
“The call volume has gotten so busy, so quickly, that we’ve adapted by adding more apparatuses and trucks, but our facilities haven’t quite kept up,” he said.
Trudeau said VFRS has outgrown Fire Hall 2. He added it started with six employees and is now at 14 staff members. Due to how busy the location is, Trudeau said if VFRS is going to maintain its four-minute response model, it needs additional resources such as the temporary location.
“(It's necessary for) providing that service that people in the Downtown Eastside expect from our firefighters; getting on scene quickly for a fire and quickly for an overdose," he said.
According to drawings from city staff, the site will feature storage for fire trucks and space for fire department employees.
In an email to CTV News, the City of Vancouver said the site at the corner of Union and Gore is currently a road right-of-way.
It added the location was chosen because it’s the nearest available city-owned land to Fire Hall 2.
“The Temporary Fire Hall 2 Annex must be in proximity to the current Fire Hall 2 to ensure Vancouver Fire Rescue can effectively continue to provide critical emergency services in the area,” the email continued.
It added the proposed site plan preserves as much green space as possible for the community to gather and includes public art.
The city said the rezoning application is under review by staff and that a public hearing will be scheduled.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre suggests Trudeau is too weak to engage with Trump, Ford won't go there
While federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has taken aim at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week, calling him too 'weak' to engage with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, Ontario Premier Doug Ford declined to echo the characterization in an exclusive Canadian broadcast interview set to air this Sunday on CTV's Question Period.
Man who died trying to help stranded motorist identified as Khalid Farooq, father of 5
The man who lost his life trying to help a stranded motorist Wednesday has been identified as Khalid Farooq.
W5 Investigates 'I never took part in beheadings': Canadian ISIS sniper has warning about future of terror group
An admitted Canadian ISIS sniper held in one of northeast Syria’s highest-security prisons has issued a stark warning about the potential resurgence of the terror group.
Great Lakes, Plains and Midwest forecast to be hit with snow and dangerous cold into next week
The first big snow of the season threatened to bury towns in New York along lakes Erie and Ontario during a hectic holiday travel and shopping weekend, while winter storm conditions could persist into next week and cause hazards in the Great Lakes, Plains and Midwest regions.
Are scented candles bad for you? What the science says
Concerns about the safety of candles are rooted in the chemical reactions that occur when you burn them, as well as in the artificial fragrances and colorants that contribute to the various scents you may love.
Trudeau talks border, trade in surprise dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau discussed border security and trade during a surprise dinner with U.S.-president elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in West Palm Beach, Fla. on Friday evening, according to senior government sources.
North Korea's Kim vows steadfast support for Russia’s war in Ukraine
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed his country will “invariably support” Russia’s war in Ukraine as he met Russia's defense chief, state media reported.
Montreal researchers make breakthrough discovery in fighting HIV
Researchers in Montreal have made a breakthrough discovery in HIV research by finding a way to expel the virus from its hiding places and destroy it.
'Very alarming:' Online scams spike during the holidays
Shoppers are out looking for the best deals on gifts for their loved ones. However, the RCMP and the Better Business Bureau are warning people that the deals they’re seeing online might be too good to be true.