The City of Greater Sudbury is rolling out its $164.6-million emergency services revitalization plan, with a request for proposals opening for architectural services.
The request for proposals encompasses Phase 1 of the project, which includes a budgeted $65.5-million in work at five emergency services stations.
City spokespeople declined comment on the matter, “since this is an active public procurement,” but the tender documents reveal various previously unreported details about the project.
The tender encompasses Phase 1, which includes the construction of two new emergency services:
- Station 2 - Minnow Lake ($9.2 million)
- Station 20 - Garson ($11.8 million)
... and the extensive renovation of three stations:
- Station 16 - Val Therese ($17.3 million)
- Station 4 - Long Lake ($10.8 million)
- Station 1 - Van Horne ($16.2 million)
In addition to these costs is almost $4 million toward land purchases and project management.
The schedule for these projects calls for detailed design development by June 2025, at which time the tender for general contractors would be sent out.
The new Minnow Lake and Garson stations are required to be built by the end of 2026, while the renovation of the Val Therese, Long Lake and Van Horne stations are required to be completed by the end of 2028.
There are two new locations proposed for a new Garson station, including south of the Garson Community Centre and Arena on Church Street, and another on the southeast side of the Falconbridge Highway. The existing Garson emergency services station is further north up Church Street.
The new station was originally intended to amalgamate the Falconbrdige, Garson and Skead stations, but city council voted on June 28, 2023, to save the Skead station if they meet the “average number of volunteers for all stations within one year.”
The number of volunteers have increased since that time, though not to the desired levels, with a staff report to city council anticipated soon. Community advocates are launching a campaign during a media event next week alongside Beaver Lake area residents (whose station was saved under the same requirement). Sudbury.com will report on their advocacy next week.
The new Minnow Lake station is expected to be located approximately two kilometres north of its current location, close to the junction of The Kingsway and Falconbridge Road, “extending no further than 1.5 km east along The Kingsway.” Three sites are being evaluated.
“Land purchase has not been finalized at this time, so no further information is available to be provided,” the tender document clarified.
Although the Val Therese, Long Lake and Van Horne station projects are slated to be renovations, the winning proponent is being asked to provide “cost comparisons of a new build versus the proposed renovation.”
Two additional sites will be reviewed as part of the Van Horne station work, “west of Paris Street, south of Elm Street and east of the railway tracks.”
There have been 34 plan takers to date for the request for proposals for Phase 1 architectural services, which has a closing date of June 20. The question deadline was June 6.
Included among the plan takers are local companies 3rdLine Studio, Bélanger Salach Architecture, Centreline Architecture, Luciw Boudreau Architecture and Perry + Perry Architects Inc.
The emergency services revitalization plan’s second phase is slated to be included in the city’s 2028 capital budget and beyond, and cost $98.2 million.
- Station 12 - Dowling renovation ($7 million), absorbing the Vermilion Lake station
- Lively station new build ($15.1 million), consolidate the existing Waters, Lively and Copper Cliff stations in the new building, and close old buildings
- Wahnapitae station new build ($13.4 million), consolidating Wahnapitae and Coniston stations, whose old buildings would close
- Station 18 - Capreol renovation ($8.9 million), to be used by both fire and paramedic services, with the existing Capreol paramedic station to close
- Station 8 - Whitefish renovation ($7.5 million)
- Station 10 - Azilda renovation ($6 million)
- Station 11 - Chelmsford renovation ($16.4 million)
- Station 14 - Levack renovation ($7.4 million)
- Station 3 - New Sudbury renovation ($10.4 million).
Plus, an additional $3 million toward project management and land purchases.
The $164.6-million total cost for these two phases is being primarily funded by $17.8 million in annual contributions to capital and $146 million in debt.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
