Chester, NS – November 23, 2023 – The Chester Fire Services Committee has announced the selection of Acre Architects, based in Halifax, NS, for the development of conceptual designs and cost estimates for the new Chester Fire Hall/Station.
Stephen Kopp, Partner at Acre Architects, expressed enthusiasm about the project, stating, “The Acre Architects/S2 Architecture team is super excited to be part of the Chester Fire Station project! Acre believes in community, and a community that invests in civic pride and emergency services signals a safe place to live. The Fire Station is a functioning symbol of this commitment to community, and our collective team will do our best to help make this a success for Chester and its people. We are what we create.”
Acre Architects has been assigned the task of conducting an engineering site analysis, creating conceptual designs, and providing preliminary cost estimates for the proposed construction. With extensive experience in fire station design, including notable projects in Grand Falls, NB, Salt Spring Island, BC, and Edmonton, AB, the consultant team is well-equipped to deliver a facility that meets the specific needs of the Chester community.
The CVFD, currently operating from 149 Central Street, has outgrown its existing facility and is keen on improving access and response times within its service area. The prospective site for the new fire station, located at 4070 Highway 3 on the former Windjammer Motel site, is one km away. Acre Architects will conduct a comprehensive site review to ensure suitability for the proposed construction.
A map showing the Chester Fire Service coverage area. Photo: Chester Fire Department.
CVFD Fire Chief Cody Stevens expressed his satisfaction, stating, “We, the Chester Volunteer Fire Department, are very happy to see this project move forward in collaboration with our partners, the Municipality of the District of Chester and the Village of Chester. We look forward to the future success of this partnership and working with Acre in building a new, safer environment for the CVFD.”
Colin MacDonald, Chair of the Chester Fire Services Committee, emphasized the significance of the project for the community’s heroes, the CVFD volunteers. MacDonald stated, “This is a great step forward in providing our community heroes with a facility that not only stores their firefighting equipment properly and securely but, even more importantly, provides these courageous women and men with a facility to protect their health through proper cleaning and recovery from responding to the community’s emergencies.”
The proposed site, situated one km away at 4070 Highway 3 on the former Windjammer Motel site, holds historical significance and will undergo a thorough review by Acre Architects to ensure suitability for the new fire station.
The new facility is expected to include accessible public meeting space.
A plan for public consultation will be released early in the new year
