The City of Sarnia is moving forward with demolition and construction of a new fire station on Colborne Road, even though the estimated costs have jumped to almost $7 million.
Council has accepted the tender from Quad Pro Construction Inc. to do the work for $6.72 million, which is almost double an estimate of $3.6 million obtained last March.
Chief Bryan Van Gaver defended the increase when council put him on the proverbial hot seat.
"This is the first time that fire has used a professional project manager," said Van Gaver. "I felt very comfortable during the process. We asked all the right questions, had all the right conversations."
Van Gaver didn't believe the project could be scaled down to save costs, given current regulations.
"To get a properly functioning building that will service the needs of the fire service and the community, we just don't think we can do that."
The facility will be compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
"There's a growing list of presumptive cancers through legislation when firefighters contract them and it's obviously attributed to their jobs. We need a significant area for the decontamination of firefighters themselves, equipment and vehicles."
Chief Van Gaver said the facility will also help attract a more diverse workforce and include drive-through bays big enough to house an aerial truck.
"One shower for both male and female employees takes quite a bit of extra square footage."
Van Gaver said material and supply costs have increased significantly as part of the overall economic impacts of the pandemic and warned that postponing construction may result in further cost increases in the future.
A design proposal for the new facility was accepted last April.
Plans to demolish the station and build a new one were previously extinguished in 2019 and 2018.