COMMUNITY SHOWPIECES
Kim Johnston, principle architect and
daughter of the late Douglas Johnston,
says—factiously—that over 40 years ago,
fire halls were thought of as glorified ga-
rages. But in the last decades, there has
been a significant evolution in the roles of
fire halls.
As a public space, the design must keep
community access a priority, not only for
emergency services, but also public ac-
cess. “The building becomes part of a
neighbourhood and integration the com-
munity is key when designing fire halls,”
says Johnston. “Many now incorporate
meeting rooms for the community. Exer-
cise areas and bigger kitchens are com-
mon, and technology to improve the health
and safety of first responders is advancing
every day—all while coordinating munici-
pal responses to emergencies.”
“The ideathat thisbuildingtypecantranslateacross somanydifferent community
and needs is really exciting to see.” Kim Johnston, Principle Architect
Central Saanich Fire Hall exterior
102 business elite canada
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MARCH 2017
