(File photo)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

$70,000

Lacombe hires consultant to help solve fire hall relocation saga

Oct 1, 2025 | 11:27 AM

The City of Lacombe is spending up to $70,000 to hire an emergency services specialist who can guide the municipality in its search for a new fire station site.

In October 2024, city council gave approval to relocating the fire station to 4410 Woodland Drive.

The fire station going there would’ve replaced a ball diamond next to the cemetery.

But at its Aug. 25 meeting, city council agreed to ask administration to pause work on the development of that site.

Admin was then asked to move forward by engaging with the Lacombe Flying Club to explore the feasibility of locating the fire hall on that site’s north end, but to also explore a location near the golf course, city-owned land east of the train tracks, and other potential locations.

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The search for a new site has actually been ongoing since 2022, with the downtown facility aging and no longer suited for the size of the city.

Ten properties were the subject of stakeholder surveys that year, with response time studies done in 2023, followed by secondary looks at 18 sites and a preliminary recommendation last year.

But at council’s last meeting in late September, they decided more help is needed.

According to an administrative report, technical analysis and public input will be integrated to identify two or three leading sites for operational testing through mock fire department deployments.

“The process will culminate in a comprehensive recommendation to council that balances operational needs, technical requirements, and community perspectives, ensuring the final site selection is well-supported and defensible. A public communication campaign will then conclude the process,” the report states.

In an interview with rdnewsNOW, Lacombe CAO Matthew Goudy explained what has led to council moving away from the Woodland Dr. location, though he clarifies it isn’t entirely off the table.

“Council did get some community feedback that caused them to question if they were making the right decision [with that site]. This is a 50-year decision probably, so some felt they just wanted to double check the process and make sure they’re 100 per cent confident with it,” said Goudy, saying this additional step shouldn’t set the project back more than a couple of months.

“No site preparation has taken place. There were some legal processes underway to prepare it for development, but no physical work.”

Goudy does point out that they’ve made improvements to ball diamonds behind the high school and beside City Hall, which was done in anticipation of losing the diamond on Woodland.

But it’s not as if those improvements were costly, nor will they go to waste, he adds.

He also noted that hiring a consultant was a better option at this time with the municipal election causing capacity issues.

Goudy says there isn’t really concern for negative outcomes as it relates to fire-related injuries or property damage, as the fire department is still operating just fine out of downtown.

But the city has ordered multiple new fire trucks which won’t fit into the downtown facility. Those are on a three-year delivery window, so won’t likely pose an actual issue.

Goudy says as far as the locations admin is looking at, the airport was one of the top five rated sites because it’s close to the highway and is publicly owned.

Goudy was also asked if the city has considered the possibility of having two fire halls, given the growth of communities across Alberta.

“Oh, without a doubt, within 50 years, we’ll definitely have two, or even three fire halls. But most municipalities don’t get two until they’re maybe 50,000 people, which is still a ways away,” he says.

“There are a bunch of different factors unique to each community, but why not now? It’s just a money thing.”

Goudy says there’s also not enough people to staff two stations at the moment

According to the Government of Alberta website, Lacombe’s population was just shy of 15,000 in 2024, but it does have the unique and perhaps precarious scenario of having a train track which splits the city in two — granted, with much more property to the west.

“What happens [in those scenarios] is the fire truck is delayed. There’s no way around it, but would it actually be faster if we had two? Not unless we have a full-time fire department, but as of now, these are folks who have other jobs and they leave to drive from wherever to the fire hall, then to the fire.”

Goudy doesn’t foresee becoming like the City of Red Deer in that regard, and he says he’s not aware of any negative outcomes due to railway-related delays.

He anticipates the fire department will be able to move into the new hall by end of 2026, and be operating out of it shortly thereafter.