Fire hall to be sold under redevelopment plan

The Williamstown fire hall on John Street, seen here in a CNW file photo, would be sold for future development under a plan to move the fire department to the public works building on William Street. (Newswatch Group/Bill Kingston, File)

WILLIAMSTOWN – One South Glengarry fire hall will be sold as part of a redevelopment plan and shuffle of buildings in the township.

Township councillors are expected to endorse a plan tonight (Monday) to spend $291,748 to relocate the fire hall from John Street to the public works building on William Street.

The public works operations would be moved to a new building on Airport Road at the Winter Material Storage Facility, which would cost $929,040 to build.

The move is also seen as addressing a future problem as a public works building is needed within the next 15 years, a township report states.

The option is less costly than rebuilding on John Street, which would cost at least $1.5 million, mostly due to Ontario law requirements for septic and parking as well as the challenges of trying to build a bigger building so close to the Raisin River.

A consultant’s report says the existing public works building is in good shape and can be converted into a fire hall. In his report, Infrastructure GM Ewen MacDonald says the fire hall would be a better fit in the public works building, which is in the middle of a residential area.

Selling the John Street fire hall would also bring in some “unanticipated income,” MacDonald writes.

Tonight’s council meeting in Lancaster starts at 7 p.m.