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In view of the identified Facilities issues and challenges which involve multiple Departments across the District, the District recognized the need to commence a more strategic and coordinated process of issues/needs identification, public consultation, examination of options, financial/revenue source analysis, and corporate prioritization. To that end, in November of 2006 the District convened a “Facilities Charette” which was attended by over thirty individuals representing the Municipal Council, Police Board, Municipal Staff, the Advisory Planning Commission, local School District, Greater Victoria Public Library, local First Nations, the architectural community and several citizens-at-large. The purpose of the Charette was to engage the greater community in a broad-based discussion about the District’s various facilities issues and challenges; to brainstorm and “vision” creative ideas about potentially acceptable facilities scenarios and options; and to discuss and prioritize appropriate next steps and actions on the part of the District.
The principal outcome of the facilities Charette was the general endorsement of a particular “scenario” of how the District’s major facilities might be sited and prioritized in the future so as to better serve the needs of the community. In summary, the scenario endorsed at the Charette, and subsequently endorsed by Council in January 2007, would provide for:
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The Municipal Hall to remain in its current location in Saanichton; |
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The main Fire Hall complex to be relocated to the Keating area so as to provide better coverage and response times, and possibly be co-located with the Police Department and the Public Works division either at the current Works Yard site, or in a more appropriate location in the Keating area; |
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A “satellite” Fire Station to be located in the Saanichton area, possibly at the site of the current Municipal Hall; |
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Mixed uses (i.e. housing; commercial parking; retail commercial; etc), including the possible involvement with the private sector, to be further explored as a potentially valid option in any future re-development of the existing Municipal Hall complex; |
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The Library / Cultural Centre complex to remain in its current location in Brentwood bay. |
A further outcome of the Facilities Charette was Council's endorsement of a set of priorities to address the District's various facilities needs and challenges. In summary, these priorities to be as follows:
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"Public safety" to be the highest priority, meaning the structural integrity of the buildings that house the Fire, Police, and Public Works functions. This includes the concept of a new main Fire Hall possibly co-located with the Police and Public Works Departments at the current Works Yard site or in another appropriate location in the Keating area. Of paramount importance within this first priority is to be the addressing of the main Fire Hall issue; |
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The second priority, although not mutually exclusive of the afore-noted highest priority, to be the re-development of the existing Municipal Hall complex in its current Saanichton location; |
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The third priority to be the various issues related to the Library and Cultural Centre, recognizing that if leisure and recreational programming is located in any future Municipal Hall re-development, it would free up a potentially earlier opportunity for the possible expansion of the Library Branch. |
Since the Fall of 2007 the District has been engaged in an active facilities planning process focusing primarily on the highest “public safety” priority identified from the Facilites Charette. Utilizing the services of Omicron Architecture Engineering Construction Ltd., the District has completed the following scope of work over the last two years:
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High level assessment of the District’s current facilities, including energy and green building targets; |
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Site redevelopment scenarios for both the Municipal Hall and Public Works yard sites; |
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Site review and analysis of several potential new building sites on Keating Cross Road, including the Public Work Yard site; |
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Site fit testing for two new building options (main Fire Hall; and combined Fire/Police facility); |
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Cost analysis of the two proposed new building options (including LEED Silver certification); |
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Analysis of potential efficiencies of constructing a combined Fire/Police facility (cost and program); |
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Market value appraisal information for potential new building sites on Keating Cross Road; |
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Fire Hall Location Review Analysis of One versus Two Fire Station Model. |
Most recently, the District has completed a detailed Building Condition Assessment of the existing Municipal Hall complex (Administrative / Police / Fire wings). The Building Condition Assessment comprised two distinct phases. The first phase was a detailed mechanical, electrical, architectural and structural evaluation of the existing Municipal Hall complex, including the preparation of order-of-magnitude cost estimates to bring the existing complex into minimum compliance with the Building Code. The second phase was a conceptual planning study to determine the extent of the potential renovation and expansion required in order to accommodate the District’s future space needs and program requirements. In this second phase the consultants developed detailed program requirements for all Municipal Hall functions (Fire, Police and Administrative); created Blocking Plans to illustrate the program areas, functional adjacencies and the building foot print (perimeter); and created an updated and expanded budget in support of any future Business Case for “building new versus renovating and expanding” the existing Municipal Hall complex.
After carefully considering all of the technical and financial information which has been developed over the course of the last two years, in late October 2009 the Municipal Council made a number of key decisions on a future direction and next steps to be taken in the District’s facilities planning process. Specifically,
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Council has endorsed the concept of a two Fire Station model for the District of Central Saanich, with a new Main Fire Hall to be constructed in one of the preferred locations in the Keating area which have been recommended, and with a satellite Fire Station to be located at the site of the existing Central Saanich Municipal Hall. A schematic design for a new Central Saanich Main Fire Hall, and an initial stage Class D construction cost estimate, are currently being prepared; |
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In regards to the future status of the existing Police facility, Council has committed to undertake a concurrent process to formerly explore options for the redevelopment of the Municipal Hall site, including the involvement of the private sector, with the objective of construction of a new joint Municipal Hall / Police facility; and, |
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In connection with the Municipal Hall / Police facility component noted above, Council has directed that a Request for Proposals (RFP) be issued seeking architectural services to prepare a conceptual architectural envelope and floor layout plan for meeting current and future facility needs for municipal government, police services and a satellite fire station at the existing Municipal Hall site; and, |
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The contract for architectural services has been awarded to D'Ambrosio Architecture & Urbanism. The schematic design for the Municipal Hall / Police facility component is being prepared. |
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