Construction is officially underway on Douro-Dummer’s new Joint Public Works and Firehall facility.
Township officials held a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday afternoon for the project, which will bring Public Works operations and the Warsaw fire station together in one facility.
Mayor Heather Watson said the project has been a long time coming.
“Our community has been waiting for this building since 2011,” Watson said. “Today we break ground on a facility every resident in Douro-Dummer will count on.”
Council approved the project at a special meeting on June 11. The construction contract was later awarded to Taskforce Engineering, while Cambium Engineering is serving as project manager.
Site clearing has already started, with upcoming work including underground stormwater management infrastructure and building footings.
The township says the project team has also identified ways to reduce construction costs without affecting the facility’s functionality. Approved design changes have generated $225,350 in savings so far, with additional savings potentially coming through site planning and landscaping.
Council has approved using some of those savings to add in-floor radiant heating to the Public Works portion of the building. The system will cost $184,000 plus HST.
Officials say the heating will help melt snow and ice brought inside by municipal vehicles, improve drying conditions, reduce heat loss in large vehicle bays and allow different areas of the facility to operate at different temperatures.
Construction is currently scheduled to be completed by the end of November 2027.
