It is within the framework of the municipal infrastructure improvement and construction program (PRACIM) that a subsidy of $5.2 million was granted by the government of Quebec for the construction of the barracks which will be located on Route 235 in front of the Missiska cheese factory.
“It’s an investment that will provide facilities for Bedford, but also for the surrounding areas such as Stanbridge Station, Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge and the township of Bedford,” mentions Isabelle Charest, MP for Brome-Missisquoi and minister responsible for Sport, leisure and the outdoors.
In total, the new barracks will cost $6.2 million. The rest of the bill (around one million) will be covered by the Town of Bedford and neighboring municipalities.
“With the population increasing and the firefighters being dedicated, we also had to offer them a suitable building. Given that we also have difficulty finding new firefighters, perhaps a new station will encourage them to want to be part of the gang», notes Claude Dubois, mayor of Bedford.
Beginning of the roadworks
The first shovelful of earth will take place on June 20 for a project which will continue until December.
“We start on June 20, continuously, access to the site, the culverts, there will be a large parking lot and we immediately start digging in two weeks,” indicates Mathieu Bombardier, construction worker at Construction Richelieu, the company hired to build the new barracks.
A pre-opening is planned for December 2024 so that firefighters can familiarize themselves with their new environment.
Ralph Gilman, general manager of the Bedford Fire Department, with an employee, in front of the poster of the new fire station which will open its doors in 2025. (Tania Di Sei/The Voice of the East)
“A provisional acceptance means that it leaves a month, a month and a half to give time to see what works or not. We will also start up the electromechanical systems, we will also do training for firefighters and training on how to maintain the building,” explains Mr. Bombardier.
The general director of the Bedford Fire Department, Ralph Gilman, is very happy to finally see the project arrive.
“We had been working on this for over 10 years. Two four-year terms, plus the new mayor who wants to cut the ribbon before he’s finished [son mandat] so it’s already been 12 years since we started making plans!”, he mentions.
Mr. Gilman has, to date, no less than 47 years of service within the Fire Department of the Townships of Bedford and Bedford.
In the era of time
The new barracks will have a dimension of 110 feet by 100 feet. The building will include a garage with seven doors. Four trucks will be at the front of the building and three at the back. The offices will be to the side and there will also be storage space.
A training and emergency measures room will also be available. A new hose drying room is planned and a glycol heating floor as well, which is frequently used in “high-end” barracks.
On the second floor we will find, in particular, a multipurpose room, dormitories and a dining room.
“We are building a new barracks for the next 40, 50 years, so all the new requirements, such as the drying of hoses, the decontamination of clothing, everything is planned inside the building,” underlines Richard Joyal, director of the City of Bedford.
The ceilings will be 20 feet high, as opposed to 10 feet for the current barracks, which will allow trucks to come in and clean inside.
This truck does not fit into the current barracks in Bedford. He must stay outside at all times. This will no longer be the case in the new barracks, which is scheduled to open in 2025. (Tania Di Sei/The Voice of the East)
The old barracks were built in a former car dealership that had been there since the 70s and the trucks were parked in different barracks. From 2025, they will be able to be grouped together in one place.
“We park THE truck in three garages so when a fire happens, people run everywhere. It’s terrible! Having all the trucks in the same place will be a big change,” concludes Mr. Gilman.
