New fire hall recognized for environmental features

AJAX -- The Town's new fire hall is an award winner.

The Town received the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Federal Gas Tax Project Award for the LEED-certified fire and emergency headquarters.

The award was presented during the recent AMO conference held in Ottawa. Federal Environment Minister John Baird and Doug Reycraft, AMO's past president, presented the award to Wards 1 and 2 Regional Councillor Scott Crawford.

"Ajax's new fire and emergency services headquarters is a glowing example of how buildings can achieve environmental benefits and energy efficiency," Mr. Reycraft said in a press release. "They have set a high standard for any municipality that is serious about building smart, green facilities."

The station, which opened in late July, is at the corner of Rossland and Salem roads.

Features include geothermal heating and cooling systems, a green roof with native and drought-resistent plants, and under-floor ventilation, a ground-source heat pump and cisterns to collect storm water for later use. There's also special parking for hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles and a secure area for bicycle storage.

The facility is one of two LEED (Leaders in Energy and Environmental Design) buildings the Town is building. Construction of a new operations centre, next to the fire hall, is to start this fall.

"The decision to build a LEED-certified fire hall is in keeping with Ajax's environment-first philosophy and our commitment to customer service as Ontario's first ISO 9001 registered municipality," Coun. Crawford said in the release.

An open house for the fire hall is set for October.