New Fire Station 32, community hall and park improvements officially opened

West Kelowna Fire Rescue is now operating out of the new Fire Station 32 at 860 Anders Road in the Lakeview Heights neighbourhood. The new, modern station is a milestone for the City that will be a community amenity and meet the needs of the growing population of West Kelowna and Westbank First Nation for 75 years.

“This new fire station provides firefighters with a safer, more modern space to do their important work,” said Christine Boyle, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “These improvements also bring new amenities that families in West Kelowna and the Westbank First Nation can enjoy. Our government is pleased to see the City of West Kelowna investing its Growing Communities Fund for projects that benefit people and strengthen the community.”

“The new Fire Station 32 is a much-needed replacement and will provide a modern workplace with improved safety features for our firefighters,” said West Kelowna Mayor Gord Milsom. “Along with the new fire station, our community will be able to enjoy upgrades to the park, with a new playground and pickleball courts, and a brand-new community hall for the public. Council is pleased this project came in on time and on budget and will be a community hub for years to come.”

The new fire station was designed with operational efficiency and firefighter health and safety needs in mind. The fire station includes four bays with room for expansion, a large gear room, a hose tower including space for training, a self-contained breathing apparatus room, and separate dormitory space for sleeping that will accommodate female staff.

“We designed this new fire station with the health and well-being of our firefighters in mind. With input from our crews, we have implemented many improved safety measures such as separate HVAC systems to remove contaminated air, improved cleaning equipment and a gear dryer to reduce carcinogen exposure,” said West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund. “A lot of hard work has gone into the design and construction of the new fire station, and this will be an important addition to our emergency services for many years to come.”

The community is also celebrating the opening of the new Lakeview Heights Community Hall which is part of the Fire Station 32 complex. The City anticipates starting to take rentals for the community hall for Dec. 1 onwards. For more information, contact the City at 778-797-2240. Anders Park was also upgraded as part of this project with three new pickleball courts, a new sport court, and a new playground for families to enjoy. The West Kelowna Professional Firefighters Local 4457 Charitable Society donated $50,000 to provide the equipment for the playground.

Construction on the new Fire Station 32 and park improvements began in May 2024 and was completed on time and on budget. The project cost is $14.3 million and funded by the Province of B.C., thanks to $1.17 million from the Growing Communities Fund, and by the City of West Kelowna through a combination of long-term borrowing, reserve funds, development cost charges, and developer contributions.