Castlegar Search and Rescue is hoping to develop a new storage yard on property close to its existing headquarters in the former Blueberry Creek fire hall.
President Llewelyn Matthews says they have more equipment than they can fit in the two-bay hall. “We now have multiple vehicles with boats and quads and sleds and Sea-Doos,” he says.
Although they were previously able to store some things in Slocan Park, presently what doesn’t fit at the hall is parked at various members’ homes.
“Our current situation is not sustainable,” Matthews says. “It means when we have an emergency call we have to collect equipment from people’s places, which slows down our response, particularly if the member whose place it’s at is not able to respond.”
For the past few years search and rescue has been looking for a location close to the hall where all of their equipment can be kept, but as a non-profit they are unable to purchase commercial land.
After a couple of other locations were examined and ruled out, they arrived at a piece of vacant property along a former power line right-of-way that belongs to Teck.
Teck agreed to lease it to them for 10 years, on the condition that only temporary buildings be erected. However, the land has to be rezoned to allow search and rescue to use it.
A public hearing this week heard from neighbours who are concerned about light pollution and the loss of green space.
Matthews says they will ensure the storage yard is only lit when they are using it and they will also preserve a trail that goes through the property, “but anytime you put in a parking area, it takes up some green space.”
Matthews says at some point they may decide to build a new search and rescue hall elsewhere with sufficient room for all of their equipment, but finding a location and raising the necessary funds would be a long-term project.
If they vacated the Teck site, they would be obligated to return the property to its original state. City council is expected to vote on the rezoning on Dec. 6.
“For us to efficiently be able to provide search and rescue services, we need to access our equipment rapidly,” Matthews said. “This is the only solution we’ve come up with to have all of our equipment in one place where members can respond.”