Today marked the grand opening of Dieppe’s new Fire Hall, even though it has been active since January.
Situated near Melanson Road and Dieppe Boulevard, it’s well placed to serve the expanding needs of the City.
Dieppe Fire Chief Charles Leblanc says the cost of the $5.2 million building might seem high, but it’s built to last.
“They’re built usually for 75 years, so you have to take that all into account, of the structure of it, how it’s built, and again that’s why the costing of 5.2 million dollars, it’s not the regular costing of a normal building you’re building, it’s 75 years,” says Leblanc.
Leblanc says the new hall is improving their response times, especially in the southern part of the municipality.
He says during the design phase, they consulted with the firefighters who would have to use it.
“We tried to look at the firefighters, and what their needs were, so if there is an emergency how to get out quick from the building and also all the physical activities they do during the day, we had to account for a physical fitness area,” says Leblanc.
He adds the new fire hall has a full kitchen, gym, and living quarters.
“When you build a fire hall, you have to look at all the amenities that you need, basically sleeping quarters, a living area a place to wind down a bit, you can’t forget they are here for 24 hours,” says Leblanc.
The station is also built with LEED elements in mind, with more natural lighting which helps with the mental health of the firefighters who have to use it.
