Hey all, myself and a friend are creating a documentary for school about how the Prince Rupert Fire Fighters and the RCMP are in talks with the city over new buildings. Or possibly a joint one. We just wanted to get the public’s opinion on this matter. So if anyone has anything they’d like to share please post below.
Sounds cool! I think it’s great you guys are making this. The Firehall replacement is long overdue and if the RCMP doesn’t get a new building, they are likely to build one and bill Rupert 100% of the cost. So I do support the Emergency Response’s arguement. However I do know we don’t exactly have all the money for it.
Thanks for the input gunsandhoses10:) and ironically the documentary is called “Guns & Hoses: Rupert’s Heroes” 
Although our BC Ambulance detachment is not needing a new building, we would still like to have them in there a bit because they are another essential first response group in Rupert.
I’ve been following this issue fairly closely and I’ve come to the conclusion that this isn’t an issue of wants, it’s an issue of needs. I don’t think anyone can fairly argue that both of the agencies don’t need new facilities but the community is still in recovery mode and in an unhealthy financial state. The funny thing is the the fire dept is probably in a more dire state than the RCMP but building standards and the contract with the province are forcing the city’s hand in one direction. But like I said, they both NEED to be dealt with and the city is going to have to find a way to get it done whether its now or a year or so down the road.
Please include or try to include the financial cash cow that could be had by selling citywest including the year over year cost to the city of keeping citywest and how that would help the city pay for the needed buildings as well as many other infrastructure projects.
Oddly enough every topic of the dire straights has the same solution, sell citywest.
Thanks Crazy Train and Jesus! We will make sure we look into the value of selling Citywest.
We should petition, sell Citywest - Save Prince Rupert.
It’s like that catch phrase from Heroes, Save the Cheerleader - Save the World
Gimme a break…
the last thing this town can afford is a building to house emergency services.
and to the comment of the rcmp building one and bill the city is complete and utter BS. cancel the contract and bring in a municipal police force who takes their orders from the city as opposed to the mounties dictating what type of building they are housed in.
makes no fiscal sense to go build a new facility at this time…
[quote=“mcsash”]
makes no fiscal sense to go build a new facility at this time…[/quote]
Agreed. We cannot afford this.
[quote=“mcsash”]Gimme a break…
the last thing this town can afford is a building to house emergency services.
and to the comment of the rcmp building one and bill the city is complete and utter BS. cancel the contract and bring in a municipal police force who takes their orders from the city as opposed to the mounties dictating what type of building they are housed in.
makes no fiscal sense to go build a new facility at this time…[/quote]
Wouldn’t a municipal police force bring high costs to get them here?
We need to build the new ER building down on Fraser St next to the college, or somewhere else where there is no parking, no room or expansion, and building costs will be high.
I don’t know why some of you got the hate on for Citywest. I guess I have a good internet connection, good cable signal and no cell phone. So I’m happy with my service.
Doesn’t the city get ~ a million a year dividend from citywest? If so, I’m assuming that would be after any loans are paid for the purchase of the cable division. I’d say that’s a pretty good return on their investment.
[quote=“Politically Incorrect”]
I don’t know why some of you got the hate on for Citywest. I guess I have a good internet connection, good cable signal and no cell phone. So I’m happy with my service.
Doesn’t the city get ~ a million a year dividend from citywest? If so, I’m assuming that would be after any loans are paid for the purchase of the cable division. I’d say that’s a pretty good return on their investment.[/quote]
I don’t think it’s a hate thing, though those who support subsidizing a government-owned company to compete with private enterprise like to characterize it that way. I also have great internet connection and a good cable experience. That doesn’t mean I want tax dollars spent on it. Especially when the city keeps asking to raise taxes.
Citywest would be the same great company it is now, if it were privately owned, just like other privately owned local companies. No need to risk city assets in competition with Rogers, Bell & Telus.
Did the City get its dividend this year? Anybody know? There were a few years that it didn’t get a dividend at all.
“after any loans are paid for the purchase of the cable division” – putting aside the crazy idea that Prince Rupert bought a cable company to compete with private enterprise, without any public consultation, can anybody explain what this means to those of us who don’t pretend to understand finances:
If that means what I think it means, then I don’t think there’s any intention of paying back that ‘loan.’ Where was the public consultation on that? What will be the return on that investment?
So that’s why Citywest is an important part of this conversation. How can the city justify raising taxes to pay for this building, while competing and risking our biggest asset on the open market? How much did Citywest’s dismal failure on the mobile market cost the city? Probably a good chunk of the cost of this new building. Were taxpayers consulted about Citywest’s “We asked around and nobody wanted it” mobile strategy? Doesn’t matter, taxpayers are ultimately paying the price for it.