Construction continuing on new fire halls in Fort Kent and Ardmore

Construction is underway at the site of the new Fort Kent Fire Station. 

The new fire halls in Fort Kent and Ardmore will be finished and commissioned by the end of 2020 if construction timelines continue for the M.D. of Bonnyville.

M.D. council got an update from Abid Malik, general manager of infrastructure, on their $5 million construction of the new fire halls during last Wednesday’s committee meeting.

Workers are getting ready for the pre-engineered building to arrive soon for the Fort Kent site, as excavation has been completed.

It’s expected to be commissioned in late September.

In Ardmore, soil conditions have hampered the early going of construction and their timeline anticipates completing in late November 2020.

Reeve Greg Sawchuk said the groundwork was hard going.

“It’s always hard going when you try and start work in winter, but so be it. It looks like they should catch up,” said Sawchuk.

“The steel building goes up quick. It’s only one-month start to finish to get that up and erected and getting a roof on. And then it’s just mechanical stuff after that. Landscaping. Paving.”

Issues with the project stopped work from getting off the ground last year, although the contractor began dirt work last November.

Excavation is 75 per cent complete and footings and grade beams are being formed.

The delivery of the building structure is expected in late May.

Installations of these fire halls are expected to take 30 days, which then begins the paving, landscaping, electrical and mechincal work to start this summer.

“It’s good that they’re finally moving forward. We did probably tighten things up a bit on building construction, it goes along with any construction tenders in that it requires a little bit more oversight to ensure you’re protected on the backside,” said Sawchuk.