Revelstoke Firefighters Museum expansion plans approved

A $150,000 expansion of the Revelstoke Firefighters Museum on Fourth Street, which is run by volunteer firefighters, was given the green light at city council’s March 10 meeting.

The expansion plan will allow the current museum to host another vintage fire truck.

Coun. Connie Brothers questioned the expense, noting the current museum gets 80–120 firehall visitors per year.

“That’s not a lot [of visitors]. I wonder how we justify $150,000 on a new endeavour? Are we going to attract that many more people?” she asked.

The money for the expansion will be from grants, with $95,000 already accounted for from the tourism infrastructure program and an economic development fund.

“Maybe that funding could be used for things that are more important for the city given our budgets right now?” Brothers asked.

Councillor Gary Sulz mentioned his concerns about the maintenance costs of the expansion, which will fall on the city.

Randy Driediger spoke on behalf of the Revelstoke Fire Rescue Society.

“We have an initial cost with respect to the insurance cost,” he said.

“We don’t know what the maintenance costs are going to be going forward. I think they’re going to be nominal costs.”

Acting mayor Linda Nixon said she was hopeful a proposed museum multi-pass, which would allow visitors to take in several of the city’s museums, would boost attendance at the firehall museum.

“I see that Cathy [English] (Revelstoke Museum curator) is a real can-do person. This idea of multi-pass – I know she’s going to make it work. I’m going to believe in that,” she said.

“People that come to see the railway museum like the firefighter museum, it’s the same sort of tourists. I think it could be a really winning project for the community.”

City council voted for the firefighters’ request, with Coun. Brothers voting against.

Previously: Revelstoke Firefighters’ Museum expansion plan to display 1938 Seagrave truck

For more, see this city report on the firehall museum expansion plans.