Repairs to the Skead fire station building are expected to begin next week and be completed by the end of October.
Prompted by Ward 7 Coun. Natalie Labbée, city corporate services general manager Kevin Fowke offered an update during Tuesday’s city council meeting.
The work, he said, is being handled by the city’s insurance company.
The Skead station has not been in operation since early 2022, when a vehicle damaged the building by backing up into a pillar located between its two garage doors.
The city decided at the time to not repair the hall until an emergency services infrastructure review had concluded, arguing there’s little sense in repairing a building that might be permanently closed.
In December 2022, a motion recommended by city staff would have made the station’s closure permanent, but city council deferred their decision pending public consultation.
A community effort in Skead resulted in several people showing interest in joining the station as volunteer firefighters in order to bolster their numbers beyond its lone existing member, who is currently working out of the Garson station.
The ideal minimum number of firefighters on each station’s roster is 15, and the Skead station hasn’t reached this for at least as far back as 2012, which is as far back as city-provided records go.
In June, city council provided staff direction to keep the Skead station open and to repair it as soon as possible.
The recruitment drive in Skead resulted in 13 community members being invited to attend this year’s physical assessment testing, which was held in July.
It remains to be seen how many end up going through the full 260 hours of training required within the first two years, but there will be a fire station waiting for them when they’re ready.
“We’re pretty excited,” Skead advocate Nicole Everest told Sudbury.com following Tuesday’s meeting. “We’re really looking forward to the fire hall being reopened.”
When the fire station finally opens, she said the community plans on hosting a grand re-opening celebration with a barbecue, fire safety presentations and further advocacy.
“We’re going to use it as another opportunity to make the community aware about the fire services offered through Skead,” she said, adding they’ll also strive to drum up additional interest in volunteerism.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
