In 2018, Saanich ranked the redevelopment of its Royal Oak fire station as the second-highest priority in the district, just behind the Parks and Public Works Yard, in its Strategic Facilities Master Plan. The plan stated that “more than any other fire hall, Fire Hall No.2 experiences pressing needs that have a significant impact on the entire district fire services operation.” While reports indicate that the Elk Lake Drive station performs well from an incident response perspective, its limited size, growing equipment requirements and rapidly expanding population have created “significant” operational pressures. As a result, the district determined that the 3,880-square-foot facility, built in 1978, required a much-needed makeover to meet Royal Oak’s growing needs. In May 2019, council unanimously approved a $26.6-million budget for the project, with an expected completion date of 2023. The new facility, nearly 23,500 square feet – more than six times larger – will accommodate up to 10 firefighters instead of five and house eight vehicles, up from the current two. Once the new facility is operational, the existing Elk Lake Drive station is scheduled to be demolished. However, nearly three years after the original completion date, the station remains unfinished and its budget has ballooned to $44.6 million – a 68 per cent increase. In a written statement to Saanich News, the district’s engineering department said the escalating budget and delays were first outlined in an April 2023 staff report, which cited extended timelines, market escalation and design development. According to Saanich, construction began in May 2024. Since then, the project has encountered “several minor and typical construction-related matters,” noted the engineering department, including material delivery delays and impacts from the ongoing tariff dispute with the U.S. The first delay resulted from extended manufacturing timelines for mass timber components, pushing delivery back by approximately five months. A second delay, caused by design revisions to the roof assembly, which supports solar panels, insulation and waterproofing, added two months. The revised completion date, originally set for fall 2025, has now been pushed to summer 2026. web1_251029-sne-firehall2-update-1_3 [https://www.bpmcdn.com/f/files/shared/feeds/gps/2025/10/web1_251029-sne-firehall2-update-1_3.jpg;w=960]A redevelopment plan of the new Fire Hall No.2 located on Royal Oak Drive. (Saanich.ca) web1_251029-sne-firehall2-update-1_4 [https://www.bpmcdn.com/f/files/shared/feeds/gps/2025/10/web1_251029-sne-firehall2-update-1_4.jpg;w=960]A view of the current Fire Hall No.2, located on 4595 Elk Lake Dr., set to be demolished once the new station is completed. (Saanich.ca) web1_251029-sne-firehall2-update-1_5 [https://www.bpmcdn.com/f/files/shared/feeds/gps/2025/10/web1_251029-sne-firehall2-update-1_5.jpg;w=960]Architectural rendering showing the proposed design of Fire Hall No. 2. (Saanich.ca)
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