City of Cornwall Council and Cornwall Fire Services Staff are pleased to announce that construction of a state of the art Fire Headquarters is moving ahead.

The new facility will provide a safe, productive and effective work site for firefighting crews. We held stakeholder sessions throughout the design process. The station design reflects our values and supports an inclusive environment, such as gender-inclusive living quarters, washrooms and showers. 

We are excited to incorporate many best-practice features to improve emergency response times for our firefighters, reduce injuries and create a healthy workspace.

The new headquarters includes a new community and training room. Cornwall Fire Service crews will use this room for our regular training. The community can also book it for events and meetings.  The room is designed to serve as an emergency comfort centre that can be available 24 hours a day during an emergency. It also provides:

• a climate-controlled environment
• gender-neutral washrooms
• self-sufficient emergency backup power supply

We’re pleased to share this impressive new facility, one that will serve both Cornwall Fire Services and residents for many years to come as a vital part of the community.

Expect construction to start soon at the corner of Tollgate and Brookdale!

Background

The key dates below outline the progress of the project so far:

• September 2018: Public consultation to inform and engage residents in the process of investigating the development of a new fire station
• December 2019: City Council confirms the by-law authorizing the purchase of land at 735 Tollgate Road West, at the corner of Brookdale Avenue, for the purpose of building a new station
• January 2020: Colliers International presents the business plan for the new station
• July 2020: Council approves the terms of reference for the request for proposal for design and construction services for the new station
• May 2021: Council approves architectural design by J.L. Richards

Location Selection

Seven sites along Brookdale Avenue were considered, four were shortlisted and analyzed, and one was recommended for approval by council: the corner of Brookdale and Tollgate.

The location will ensure every neighbourhood in Cornwall can be reached by firefighters quickly. Notably, the location will improve response times for the north end of our community.

The strengths of the location include:

• site located directly on arterial road,
• sufficient land area to meet today's needs and for future development,
• lower operating costs, and
• access to newly extended utilities and services.