January 30, 2024 — The City has officially opened its new Fire Station No. 3, ensuring that Sarnia Fire Rescue Services can continue to respond to emergencies quickly and protect the safety of residents for years to come.

Council members, Sarnia Fire Rescue staff, Mayor Mike Bradley and members of the City’s Senior Management Team gathered at the new Colborne Road station on January 30, 2024 to officially open the new $7.6-million facility. Construction was funded in part by a contribution of over $6.3 million from the Canada Community-Building Fund.

“This new station represents a huge step for us as a service, ensuring our firefighters have the appropriate facilities to continue the critical work they do protecting the health and safety of our residents,” said Fire Chief Bryan Van Gaver, adding, “thank you to the Government of Canada and City Council for supporting this project, and by extension the members of the service who will work and train at the new hall.”

“The heroes that work at local fire stations put their lives on the line to ensure that our communities remain safe,” said Peter Fragiskatos, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, Member of Parliament for London North Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities. “The Canada Community-Building Fund provides municipalities with the flexibility to build the infrastructure they need. I am proud that our investment is helping to ensure that fire fighters in Sarnia continue to have access to the best equipment and facilities, so they can continue to keep the community safe.”

The new, 8,500-square-foot station replaces the aging Colborne Road station that previously occupied the same site at the corner of Michigan Avenue. The new station — designed to provide visual coherence with the neighbourhood’s post-war character — was constructed with a focus on energy efficiency, featuring in-floor heating, high-efficiency HVAC systems, energy-efficient lighting, and a high efficiency contaminant ventilation system.

The new Fire Station No. 3 features:

  • A diesel exhaust capturing system
  • Bunker gear extraction and drying zones
  • A gender-diverse design and individual firefighter quarters to accommodate changing firefighter demographics
  • Accessible design
  • Emergency generator
  • Dual, drive-through vehicle bays built to accommodate future apparatus needs reflecting new high-rise construction
  • Exterior-facing community display room for a 1921 antique firetruck
  • A panic room for community members in crisis
  • Training room