The Town of Comox has taken another key step toward upgrading its fire station to meet the demands of a growing population. A contract has been awarded to local firm MacDonald Hagarty Architects to prepare schematic designs for replacing the office portion of the existing Comox fire station. MacDonald Hagarty was chosen as the best value from the thirteen submissions the Town received.
Design work is expected to be completed by fall 2025. Once finalized, the project will move into the financial planning phase, with construction anticipated to begin as early as spring 2026, pending approval.
Earlier this year, Comox Council unanimously supported the development of a design and financial plan for the upgrade. The goal is to ensure the Town’s fire services remain capable of meeting the community’s evolving needs.
Originally constructed in 1977, the current fire hall has exceeded its intended lifespan and no longer meets the operational requirements of today’s fire service. Essential amenities—such as offices, showers, washrooms, kitchen facilities, and meeting rooms—are inadequate for the department’s current staffing and operational levels.
The fire station is jointly owned by the Town of Comox and the Comox Fire Protection District, with the Town covering two-thirds of the upgrade costs and the District (Area B) funding the remaining third.
“When our fire hall opened in 1978, we had one full-time firefighter and 20 paid-on-call members responding to about 70 calls per year,” said Fire Chief Gord Schreiner. “Today, we have eight full-time firefighters and 52 paid-on-call members responding to over 900 incidents annually. We’ve simply outgrown the space.”
In addition to space limitations, the building faces several critical deficiencies, including outdated electrical systems, a leaking roof, poor accessibility, and construction that does not meet modern standards for disaster resilience.
The planned upgrade focuses on replacing the 4,200-square-foot office wing with a new three-storey, 10,000-square-foot facility. Key features include:
- Expanded Office and Training Areas: Increasing from three to eight offices, with three multipurpose boardrooms/classrooms that can also function as a study space or Emergency Operations Centre (EOC).
- Enhanced Firefighter Facilities: Expanding from one shower and three washrooms to 10 showers and 12 washrooms, along with a new decontamination and laundry area to reduce carcinogen exposure.
- On-Site Affordable Housing: The top floor will include five hotel-style suites with a shared common area, offering affordable accommodations for paid-on-call firefighters and improving overnight response times.
- Building Infrastructure Improvements: Minor upgrades to the apparatus bays, including a new roof and sprinkler system, to enhance safety and extend the building’s lifespan.
“This is a significant and necessary step toward ensuring our fire services can continue to grow alongside our community,” said Comox Mayor Nicole Minions. “Council looks forward to reviewing the conceptual design when it becomes available.”
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Media Contact:
Gord Schreiner, Fire Chief
firehall@comox.ca
250-339-2432