ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — The St. John’s Fire Fighters Association (SJFFA) is asking the city not to sell the former West End Fire Station on LeMarchant Road.
The city announced last week it’s selling the former fire hall, and issued a request for proposals (RFP).
Coun. Maggie Burton said city council would like to see the building preserved, while encouraging a new development and use for the vacant property.
SJFFA president Craig Smith said he met with Mayor Danny Breen last year around this time with an idea for the building, which has been sitting empty for roughly five years.
The association wants to see it turned into a firefighters’ museum, with SJFFA offices on the second floor and a firefighters’ memorial outside.
Smith said Breen seemed to like the idea, and said he would take it to city council. But Smith said he was notified afterward that council wanted to send it out for a request for proposals.
“It was unfortunate, it was disappointing to hear that, but it is what it is, and here we are today trying to advocate for the same thing we advocated for almost exactly a year to this day,” said Smith.
An email from a city spokesperson with information from city officials said city council decided a request for proposals would enable a fair process for all interested parties, including the SJFFA.
“The association is welcome to submit a proposal and is not excluded from the process,” reads the email.
Smith said the SJFFA is not in a position to purchase the former station from the city.
“But the city already owns the property, and the value that they’re going to get from the sale of that, I mean, it would disappear in the city’s budget overnight. It would be so insignificant to the bigger picture,” he said.
Smith said the union would like to see the city retain ownership of the building and work with the SJFFA to acquire funding, either through grants or private funding, to restore the building and make it a museum.
What Smith is asking for is not too late.
“The city can in its sole discretion reject any or all proposals at any time or cancel the RFP or portion thereof at any time,” the city spokesperson stated.
“The city has the right to maintain ownership of the building if it so chooses.”
Current museum ‘idle’
Smith said the museum could provide summertime student employment and be a tourism destination in the city.
“If the building is gone today, it’s gone forever. If a proposal is put forward … and someone acquires it, it’s gone forever. … And I think city hall and city council and the mayor should look at it in that way, too, that once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. They can’t return it, it can’t be brought back. It’s very important for us.”
Smith said there is currently a firefighters’ museum in the foyer of the Central Fire Station, but it’s only accessible during regular business hours.
“It just sits there idle, collecting dust, and we don’t get an opportunity to show the public some of that history.”
He said the museum holds old-fashioned firefighting equipment, tools and documents such as log books.
“The City of St. John’s, some councillors down there are constantly saying, you know, preserve the history, the heritage … that’s what makes St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador what we are. … And this West End Fire Station, the history behind it, is also unique in its own way.”
“Let’s do something for our citizens there, and recognize things for our firefighting departments, and celebrate a 125-year history. This department is 125 years old. That’s very significant.”
‘Celebrate a 125-year history’
According to the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, the station was built in 1942, designed by the firm of architect William D. McCarter.
It replaced the original wooden West End Fire Station on New Gower Street, which in 1938 a superintendent said the main stringers supporting the floor were so rotten that there was a danger of the fire engine falling through.
For a number of years, both the LeMarchant Road station and the New Gower Street station were used, but operations shifted entirely to the LeMarchant Road station by 1945.
The old station was demolished in 1946.
“Let’s do something for our citizens there, and recognize things for our firefighting departments, and celebrate a 125-year history. This department is 125 years old. That’s very significant,” said Smith.
Juanita Mercer reports on municipal politics in St. John’s.
