The Joint Fire Hall Public Works Building in Douro-Dummer took another step forward at a special meeting held on June 11 in the council chambers.
The project was first considered by council in 2015 when issues were brought to the attention of council by department heads.
At the meeting on Thursday evening CAO Todd Davis gave a chronological history of the project sighting hurdles such as upper tier government funding, the COVID pandemic and the change in CAO’s during the process.
The public meeting was held to update the community on the status of the project and give the public a chance to comment.
Following the presentation by Davis the public had the opportunity to voice their opinions with five minute presentations.
Seven people took the opportunity to speak during the public comment period.
The general consensus was that the municipality required the building for health and safety reasons, but there was concern raised by some that the price was too high and that transparency throughout the process was lacking.
Former deputy mayor Karl Moher raised concerns with the project.
Moher told council that they needed the building yesterday, but claimed the previous council did not support the project in 2019 when the price was half what it is today.
Moher also questioned why there were no drawings of the proposed building on the website prior to the public meeting. Moher said he had spoken to three councillors recently and was surprised to hear that they have not seen any drawings.
Moher told council that he believes they have to shave the starting costs on this project by a few million an gave some cost saving ideas for the proposed building.
Moher noted 19 indoor bays on the proposed plans, six for fire trucks and three for service would leave ten heated bays for work trucks.
Moher suggested that Public Works trucks could be housed outside under a truck port. Equipment could be set up remotely so they can be started when poor weather strikes
.Moher used Peterborough as an example where their population is 80,000 compared to Douro-Dummer’s 7,500 and their public works vehicles are parked outside.
Donovan Brinklow, president of the Douro-Dummer Firefighters Association was next to approach the podium.
Brinklow told council that he is in strong support of the project. He said he understands the financial concerns, but asked ratepayers to look beyond the price tag.
Brinklow stressed that this is not simply a new building, but rather described the joint building as an investment in public safety, the health and welfare of the firefighters, public works staff and ultimately the residents of the township.
The current fire hall according to Brinklow has served the community for many years, but is no longer meeting the needs of a modern fire emergency service.
Brinklow said the present building is becoming more difficult to maintain. Poor heating in the winter and no air conditioning in the summer which makes the facility challenging for both work and training.
Concerns also include flooding, lack of storage facilities, air quality. Brinklow went on to say that firefighters should not be exposed to diesel exhaust along with other contaminants simply by occupying the station from which they work.
He said todays firefighters face many hazards including contaminants that can be absorbed through the skin which can result in cancer. Cancer is one of the leading causes of work related deaths among firefighters and the present facility does not allow for proper cleaning and sterilization of equipment or even shower facilities that can be used following a call.
Brinklow said these are not luxuries, but rather modern safety requirements.
Brinklow said the question is not if we can afford the building, but rather can we afford not to build it.
Peter Leahy was the last to step up to the podium.Leahy commented that “Every direction in the world we are being divided. Whether it is war, whether it is Canada U.S., whether it is this.”
In Leahy’s opinion the division is not being caused by the people, but rather governments.
“We have to reclaim what we have lost.” said Leahy.Leahy said that he and April Hope have appeared before council for a year asking how the township can do this better, but claims council has shot them down at every turn.
Leahy said they are for the fire hall, but wanted to know if it could be scaled down or phased in, wait for grants, settle issues with neighbours and in his opinion this is not happening.
He also said they asked for a public meeting, but stated that having a public meeting tonight is useless. Leahy said that he believes that they have already made their minds up and this is a done deal.
Following the public comment portion of the meeting CAO Davis presented a report on the joint Public Works-Fire Hall Design/Build procurement process.
Davis said that he invited fire chief Chuck Pederson and Public Works manager Jake Condon to attend the meeting so they could address the procurement for their individual departments needs as they have been involved in the project for the entire duration.
Davis explained in his report that the procurement for this project is based on a design build model.
Davis made clear that this project will amalgamate staff and equipment from three separate structures that are well past their usefulness into one single building. These properties are listed on the township asset plan as in very poor condition and have been considered for replacement for over ten years.
The procurement process for this project was initiated on February 23, 2026.
When speaking to procurement Davis recognized that members of council and the public are interested in renderings of the building, but Davis said that the drawings that exist will not look like the proposed building as the specs and plans have changed over the years.
Davis said the rendering will be provided once the design phase of the project is complete.
The township put in the tender a list of things that are absolutely required in the building and asked those contractors interested to submit a design.
The township used figures provided by Greenview, a former consultant on the project to give ideas and concepts to the potential bidders.
Davis said once the design piece is complete, they would return to council and if this occurs before council’s fall session he would request that the mayor call another special meeting so that the design can be presented to the public and council before they break ground.
Davis said they went this route because when you use a singular firm there is more opportunity for savings.
The township held a bid meeting in February which was attended by over 25 firms.
The original deadline for questions was March 20, however many interested bidders asked for an extension which was granted until April 17.
Over 66 registered businesses showed interest in the project. At the end of the process the municipality received ten bids ranging from $130,000 to $39 million.
The third lowest bid (which was lowest compliant bid) was from Task Force Engineering who are based out of Bellville.
Task Force’s bid included the use of local subcontractor Drain Bros.
Davis said that township management and Cambiam reviewed the submitted bids and recommend that council consider awarding the design/build contract to Task Force.
Davis wrapped up by talking about the finances regarding the project.
He stated that in the 2020’s the township came up with a price tag of $12 million. As of the Thursday meeting the price for the building is estimated at $11.3 million.
Davis went on to explain how the township prepared themselves financially for this project.
A funding strategy was developed in 2022. The plan was to increase the levy by one per cent per annum until the municipality reached an annual repayment limit that would cover the cost of the money needed to borrow for the project.
Davis said treasurer Stacy Grenier has looked at and refined the financial model which shows that if the township was to borrow the dollars required to complete this project the annual repayment is estimated at $861,710.
Davis pointed out that this year’s annual contribution to reserves is $657,365. If the township adds one per cent in the 2027 budget and again in 2028 when construction is to be complete. Once the project is complete there is an anticipated deficit of $50,000. and by 2029 the township will have created a funding model that will sustain the debt repayment requirements to make the project happen.
Davis commented that it is challenging to ask people to accept a spend of almost $12 million on this project, because the township has never spent that much before. The previous record spending was the $1 million for the Douro arena floor earlier this year through reserves.
Davis said he is confident and proud of the work they have done to this point and recommended that the township award the design/build contract to Task Force Engineering with an estimated price of $11,116,262.
Councillor Ray Johnston asked how much money the township had in reserved to which Davis responded $1.9 million.
Johnston also commented that council has not seen plans or drawings and wondered if they will be able to make any changes once the plans were presented at a public meeting.
Davis said they have not had that conversation, but the question can certainly be asked.
Mayor Heather Watson asked fire chief Chuk Pederson if he thought they were over-building and if they will require any further expenditures once built.
Pederson commented that it is not the Taj Mah Hall, but rather a rectangular building.
Pederson said that everything the fire department has done by way of renovations and repair has been under the assumption that this building would be built.
The joint building will offer efficiencies through shared space and Pederson did not see six bays for the fire department as overscoped.
Jake Condon echoed Pederson’s comments saying they also made plans based on the new building becoming a reality.
Watson made the comment that council has done their homework and she had absolute confidence in the financial plan. The township presently has no debt. She said the municipality can afford this.
Deputy Mayor Harold Nelson made the motion to move the recommendation to hire Task Force which was seconded by Councillor Tom Watt.
The motion passed unanimously.
