Fauquier celebrated the grand opening of its new fire hall last Saturday.
This facility was actually completed last fall and has been occupied since early November but it was decided to wait till spring to “cut the ribbon”.
This project had its genesis in the spring of 2012 when the Fauquier Volunteer Fire Brigade was looking for a replacement for its aging pumper.
The community was able to purchase a suitable vehicle for about 20 per cent of its budget. That left them with a large surplus of cash and talk started to revolve around the possibility of building a two bay fire hall, enabling them to retain our old truck.
However that would mean the need for outside funding. That help came from three sources: the RDCK through the offices of Area Rep Paul Peterson; the Columbia Basin Trust, through the Community Initiatives Program and the Fauquier Community Club.
The Community Club benefited by being able to take over the old fire hall as a maintenance and storage facility for the tractor and riding mower which are used by volunteers to maintain the large common area in the village. Anyway, by the spring of 2013 everything was in order and construction could begin. The end result is a very roomy two bay garage with a small office/classroom off to one side.
Some people may wonder why there is a need for two fire fighting vehicles. According to the fire department, it’s always desirable to have a back up. But more practically, this will give them the capability of fighting a fire and moving water to the fire simultaneously, something they were never able to do before. This will be particularly useful if the community ever finds itself in a wildland interface situation.
Looking ahead, they hope to be able to pave the area in front of the fire hall in the next year or so. The fire department are always looking for new members so if you are a resident of the Fauquier area and think you might like to get involved, they would love to hear form you. Practices are held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday evenings and all visitors are welcome.