Residents of Prince George will have the opportunity to tour Fire Hall No. 1 and the proposed site for a new location today.
This comes after the city unveiled a series of public information sessions about Fire Hall No. 1 and the Four Seasons Pool leading up to the community referendum on Oct. 28.
The series also includes digital town hall-style meetings online and in public and will include the city's regular neighbourhood conversations known as "Talktober."
The first digital town hall meeting will take place on Tuesday.
"Public engagement is one of the top priorities of this council," says Mayor Lyn Hall.
"Residents can look forward to tours of the facilities, in-person presentations from city officials, and question-and-answer sessions directly with council and administration. For residents who want to engage online and via social media, there will be the opportunity to participate in digital town halls online and via social media."
A new fire hall is estimated to cost $15 million while a new pool will total about $35 million.
A new pool would be located north of the current pool where the Days Inn building sits now and would include a therapy/toddler pool, a leisure pool with a wading zone, play features and a slide.
Fire Hall No. 1, the city's main fire hall, is to be relocated to a more central location at the south corner of Massey Drive and Carney Street.
City council reacted after receiving a Fire Underwriters Survey Report which indicated that Fire Hall No. 1 is no longer able to meet current standards as a fire and rescue facility, emergency operations centre and fire operations communications centre.
"There is a lack of space. We need a change," Fire Chief Iverson said. "We have maximized the use of this building."
And according to Iverson, this will also expand its eight-minute response zone by 50 per cent. Both projects are included in the 2017-2021 Financial Plan, which city council approved earlier this year.
The first open house will be held at the current site of Fire Hall
No. 1 today from 9 a.m. to noon (the current site is located at the corner of Seventh Avenue and Dominion Street) and at the proposed site on Massey Drive (next to the Northern BC YMCA) near the intersection with Carney Street from 1 until 4 p.m. the same day.
City officials will be stationed at a white tent on-site.
An open house will also be held at the current site of the Four Seasons Leisure Pool at 775 Dominion St. on Oct. 18 from 4:30 to 8 p.m.
And in an extra effort to get the word out, two digital town halls will be held at city hall in the city hall council chambers at 6 p.m. - on Tuesday regarding Fire Hall No. 1 and on Wednesday regarding the Four Seasons Pool, both streaming on Facebook Live.
Locations have also been determined on the day of the referendum.
Election officials plan to have the following eight voting locations open on general voting day on Oct. 28 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.: John McInnis Centre, D.P. Todd secondary school, Kelly Road secondary school, Edgewood elementary school, Malaspina elementary school, Ron Brent elementary school, Vanway elementary school and Blackburn elementary school.
Advance voting will be available at city hall on Oct. 18 and Oct. 24 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Additional advance voting opportunities will be available at UNBC on Oct. 18 and the College of New Caledonia on Oct. 19, both from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
In addition, mail ballot voting will be available on or about Sept. 22 and special mobile voting will take place at select health care and community living facilities.
For more information visit: www.princegeorge.ca/referendum.
