South Burnaby may get a new B.C. Ambulance station, but at the cost of consolidating service from other municipalities.
Council is considering a rezoning application that will make room for a new ambulance centre on several vacant, city-owned lots south of Kingsway, between Buller Avenue and Waltham Avenue.
According to a city staff report, the proposed facility would relocate and consolidate two ambulance stations in Vancouver and New Westminster, as well as a special operations and emergency management operations facility in North Delta.
"(The North Delta facility) serves large special events throughout the Lower Mainland, as well as emergency preparedness for potential catastrophic events," states Lou Pelletier, director of planning and building, in his report to council.
In 2013, council authorized the legal and lands department to enter into negotiations with the B.C. Ambulance Service for the sale of the city properties, once the rezoning application is approved.
"The facility will function as an ambulance dispatch station from the South Burnaby area and would accommodate six to eight ambulances and up to eight employees," Pelletier states.
Jorden Cook Associates, on behalf of the B.C. Ambulance Service, approached the city to acquire the city lots to develop the new station, the report states.
"At its closed meeting of (Feb. 21, 2011), council adopted a report recommending the acquisition of the subject properties at 6980, 6992 Buller Ave., and 6977, 6991 Waltham Ave. to preclude new single- and two-family residential development in this industrial area ... as well as to protect the site's future development potential in accordance with the intent of the Royal Oak Community Plan," Pelletier states.
The city solicitor will set the price for the city land, which council will approve at a later date, according to the report.
At its Jan. 27 meeting, council approved the sale in principle, and authorized staff to work with the applicant further. The rezoning application will go to public hearing before council gives final approval.
