Port Moody residents will be heading to the polls this weekend and next to have their say on whether the city should borrow $16 million to build a new fire hall.
While the referendum is not until April 16, advance polling will begin in the Galleria at city hall between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, April 9.
On voting day (April 16), registered voters can go to Glenayre community centre (400 Glencoe Dr.), Kyle centre (125 Kyle St.), Heritage Mountain community centre (200 Panorama Pl.) or the Port Moody recreation complex (300 Ioco Rd.) to vote.
If approved, the proposed three-storey 2,392 sq. ft. facility would be built on the site of the current fire hall at Murray Street and Ioco Road, with construction possibly beginning early next year.
The plans, which were presented and approved by council in January, feature larger living and training quarters for firefighters and the addition of a fourth truck bay, which would open onto Murray Street.
The current detachment was built in the early 1970s to serve a city of 11,000 people. Today the hall serves PoMo's 33,000 residents and Fire Chief Jeff Lambert said it is not up to current earthquake standards.
"In a seismic event, if we ever had a shake, I frankly don't believe our trucks would get out of the hall," he told The Tri-City News last year. "And you know what? Trucks can be replaced but we've got a whole crew of firefighters in here and they know that they're living in a building that potentially could kill them."
ARE YOU ELIGIBLE?
In order to cast a ballot in Port Moody's fire hall referendum, a voter must be:
at least 18 years old;
a Canadian citizen;
a resident of B.C. for at least six months immediately before the day of registration;
a resident of the city of Port Moody for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration.
The city is also encouraging residents to learn more about its $16-million proposal by participating in a 20-minute PowerPoint presentation that will be held on:
Saturday, April 9, between 3:30 and 4 p.m. at Fire Hall No. 1;
Sunday, April 10, between 12:30 and 1 p.m. in the Inlet Theatre (100 Newport Dr.);
Monday, April 11, between 12:15 and 12:45 p.m. in the Inlet Theatre;
Tuesday, April 12, between 7:15 and 7:45 a.m. in the Inlet Theatre;
and Wednesday, April 13, between 6:45 and 7:15 p.m. in the Inlet Theatre.
gmckenna@tricitynews.com
- with files from Todd Coyne
