It doesn’t look like the new Hillsburgh fire station will open until this fall.
In his Feb. 29 report to council, Erin Fire Chief Dan Callaghan said phase one of fire hall is now enclosed.
He noted the week before, builders brought in roof panels that were 72 feet long. The first set of panels lifted – bent in half, because of how they were lifted.
He advised the building not to use those on the roof. He anticipates the panels would be re-delivered within the week. As a result, the crane would need to return to the site.
The remaining panels were installed, and Callaghan estimated three-quarters of the roof was completed by his report to council. The exterior walls are also being worked on.
Callaghan said the soils report has not come back from the architect, who has requested truckload requests from the excavation company.
Callaghan said core drilling was done in the existing station building. “We should know shortly what is under there and what we need to look forward to as we tear that part down.”
Councillor Barb Tocher quipped, “There might be a car down there.”
“I found a licence plate,” responded Callaghan.
The concept for the station rebuild was to do it in phases, to allow the existing station to remain in use while the first phase was under construction.
When that is complete, the department will move into the first phase while the next phase is constructed over the current fire hall.
Callaghan said there was drilling done inside the newer building and the frost appears to be down 16 inches.
“The frost has to come out before they can do work on the floor.”
He said there is no switch-over date when the department can move into the building.
“Unfortunately we’d anticipated being in right now, but we are about nine weeks behind schedule.”
He said they are picking ceramic tiles for the interior and the colours were picked by town staff.
“I’ll let the mayor know, none of it was green,” he said.
Tocher said the building is looking exciting.
If the project only remains nine weeks behind schedule, she asked for an completion estimate.
Callaghan is hoping for sometime in September or October.
He said they currently know what is located beneath the existing station. Soil samples were taken up to over a dozen feet beneath the surface so there are fewer surprises.
