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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, May 29, 2013 | 8 Breaking ground on the Town's new works depot by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff A new fire station for north Oakville will temporarily operate out of the Town's North Operations Depot -- itself expected to open next spring. The Town of Oakville broke ground May 24 for the $15 million works depot at 3250 Neyagawa Blvd. Once finished, the depot is anticipated to improve a variety of services for neighbourhoods north of Upper Middle Road. Besides housing the interim fire station (Station No. 9), the 41,000-sq. ft. complex will serve as an operations base for both staff and equipment in the Town's roads and works, and parks and open space departments. "We are improving and expanding the service and the safety of our new residents in north Oakville with our North Depot and our temporary fire station. These various functions will now be closer to the areas they have to service. This will make for greater efficiency," said Oakville Mayor Rob Burton. Oakville Deputy Fire Chief Brian Durdin said the fire station will serve the area's current population, before it is eventually relocated to a permanent home as north Oakville grows. The location of that permanent home has From left, George Wark, G.S. Wark general contractors, Mayor Rob Burton and Eric Czerniak, IBI Group, project manager were at a groundbreaking ceremony Friday for the new Town of Oakville North Operations Depot and interim Fire Station No. 9. photo by Riziero Vertolli ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog) yet to be determined. Until then, a full crew of 16-20 firefighters and one fire truck will be stationed at the Neyagawa works building. Durdin expects these firefighters will be hired between April and early July of next year. "The closest fire station right now is the one at Sixth Line and Upper Middle Road," said Durdin. "This will give us an immediate response for not only fire safety in this area, but construction incidents as well." Parks and Open Space Department Director Chris Mark said members of the Town's cemetery staff, who currently work out of trailers at Trafalgar Lawn Cemetery, would relocate to the new complex as would staff responsible for playing field maintenance. Senior Manager of Works Operations Mark Covert said the Town would station winter equipment, such as snowplows, at the facility where there will also be a sand/salt storage building. Covert said having the equipment there will facilitate quicker snow clearing as plows won't have to travel from the Town's South Service Road Central Operations building or have to return there for salt/sand refills. Construction on the new depot was slated to begin this week. Completion is expected in late spring/early summer 2014. For more information, visit www.oakville.ca and search North Operations Depot. THERE'S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO DESIGN YOUR DREAM AYA KITCHEN AYA KITCHENS OF OAKVILLE · 1195 North Service Road West AyAoakville.com · 905.847.1522 www.oakville.ca Commercial District Parking Study -- Downtown Oakville June 5, 2013 -- 6:30-8:30 p.m. Oakville Public Library, Central Branch, Auditorium 120 Navy Street Commercial District Parking Study -- Kerr Village June 13, 2013 -- 6:30-8:30 p.m. Oakville Seniors Centre, Auditorium 263 Kerr Street The Town of Oakville initiated a study in the fall 2012, to review the town's commercial parking operations in the Downtown Oakville and Kerr Village commercial areas. Two meetings have been scheduled to present the study findings of each of the study areas. At the June 5 meeting, the study results of the Downtown Oakville area will be presented and the Kerr Village study findings will be presented on June 13. The study findings that will be presented at both meetings will be made available on the town's website following the meetings. For information on this study, visit www.oakville.ca and search for Commercial District Parking Study. Parking Study Public Meetings