Old generator not up to par for new emergency centres

By Mark Squibb

The Town of Paradise has tendered the purchase of a mobile generator for use during emergencies.

Council first raised the idea last year after the Town’s designated emergency operation centre, which is located in the Double Ice Complex, fell within the wildfire evacuation zone and was unavailable for use.

Staff chose the Milton Road Ball Hut, the Peter Barry Duff Memorial Park Building, and the St. Thomas Line Community Centre as potential alternative emergency centres, and council, this past July, awarded a contract to Jewer Bailey for engineering services and the installation of transfer switches at all three locations in the amount of $12,510 plus HST.

At the time, it was noted that a generator would have to be purchased at a later date.

Councillor Erin Furlong explained that since then, the Town had issued an open tender call for a 60-kilowatt mobile generator and received three bids, the cheapest of which was supplied by Cummings Canada ULC in the amount of $125,546, plus HST.

Council had budgeted $180,000 for the project.

Councillor Glen Carew asked whether the generator belonging to the old St. Thomas Line pump station could be repurposed as the emergency generator.

“I guess the thought here is, is there any way for us to save $125,546 by repurposing the old generator?” asked Carew.

Furlong said the lift station generator was pad-mounted and not mobile, and while it might be possible for the generator to power all three buildings, staff would need to investigate further before committing to repurposing it.

However, Director of Infrastructure and Engineering Chris Milley said the lift station generator is outdated.

The new generator will be stored in the Town’s new depot once construction of that building is finished.