Fire Station #2 Redevelopment - 4595 Elk Lake Drive

Fire Station #2 will be located at the corner of Elk Lake Drive and Royal Oak Drive. The current building is well past its effective life and will be replaced with a new building. The entire site, recently consolidated from three District properties including a portion of Viewmont Ave., extends to the east near the highway and will also include the District’s fire training centre.

Updates and information

Residents, neighbours, and passers-by to the Fire Station No.: 2 at 4595 Elk Lake Drive will have begun to see exciting changes to the site in the past five months. These changes reflect the beginning of a multi-year construction period and the fulfillment of the District’s capital investment priority to public safety in the Royal Oak Community with the construction of a new Fire Station. 

Phase 1 included:

  • Mobilization by the General Contractor, Knappett Projects Inc.
  • Installation of a pre-manufactured, two-story temporary accommodation for Fire Department staff and partial demolition of the existing Fire Station. 
  • Partial closure of Viewmont Avenue and installation of new public pathway on eastern property boundary.
    • Note, the current finish of the pathway is temporary. The final grading and finish of the way is to be completed in Summer 2026.
  • New building excavation.

With the completion of Phase 1, we transition to Phase 2 starting Monday, May 6, 2024. Phase 2 requires the limited use of Viewmont Road Avenue to facilitate material deliveries and hauling. Residents in the neighbourhood can expect truck traffic between the hours of 7:00 am to 8:00 am and 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday to Saturday, excluding statutory holidays. 

Phase 2 will include:

  • New building construction, completion, and commissioning.

Phase 3 will include:

  • New building occupancy.
  • Demolition of the remaining Fire Station.
  • Landscaping and completion of the public pathway.

Project Information

The new version of Fire Station #2 will be 23,476 square feet, up from 3,800, and accommodate up to 10 fire fighters, rather than the current 5, and 8 vehicles rather than the current 2. A fire fighter training facility will be part of the development. 
The building will be built to very high energy performance standards (net zero carbon building, LEED Gold and Energy Step Code level 2) and constructed of mass timber.

The approved project budget is $44.6 million.

How will this improve Saanich?

The provision of emergency services - fire suppression and emergency response - will be greatly improved with a facility that more properly stores Fire Department apparatus (much of the fleet currently is not stored according to standards). The increase of staff complement for future growth anticipates the needs of residents and visitors in the growing northern areas of the District. Additionally, the facility will play a significant role in helping Saanich achieve its 2050 reduction targets.

Need more information?

Please contact fireadmin@saanich.ca.