On time and on budget are not words you hear very often in regard to new public buildings, not so in the Juan de Fuca. The new 4,500 sq. foot building which will house CRD and Juan de Fuca services is now open.
The CRD/Juan de Fuca Local Area Services building on Butler Road in Otter Point is built on three lots close to the industrial park and abutting William Simmons Park.
Built to withstand a major earthquake, the building will be self-sufficient with rain water collection capabilities, solar panels, communications tower and a back up generator.
A 90-foot antenna tower will be built for search and rescue and emergency services as well as a garage for search and rescue vehicles.
A meeting room of 2,500 sq. feet will be available for use by the public.
The whole building was built on time and on budget. The cost was $1.75 million with $1.5 million borrowed from the CRD at favourable interest rates. The remainder of the funding comes from the Gas Tax Funds which were already saved. About $100,000 will be spent on furnishings, fixtures and the search and rescue garage. It is expected that the debt will be retired in 15 years.
Area director MIke Hicks made the decision to build a new facility rather than continue to pay rent on the old building on West Coast Road.