A new building is needed to help Cowichan Search and Rescue (CSAR) meet their future needs and they say all options point to Bings Creek.
A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed to allow options to expand the Bings Creek site and was signed by the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) and CSAR to help identify opportunities for future consideration of existing tenants, including Emergency Management Cowichan and CSAR.
According to a media release, last February, CSAR submitted correspondence to the CVRD board stating the current facility was not able to house their equipment and could no longer support the operation needs going forward.
“The Bings Creek site is ideal for us due to its central location for the CSAR service area and enhances our ability to effectively respond when we’re called to action,” says CSAR search manager Jamie Tudway-Cains. “We’ve enjoyed a 15-year relationship with the CVRD at this site and appreciate the continued support to ensure CSAR can continue its role in emergency response for residents in the Cowichan region.”
CVRD manager of communications and engagement Kris Schumacher says he agrees the location is ideal for CSAR operations, and the MOU is prompting both organizations to think about the future.
“A lot of these facilities are aging, and it’s part of a much larger look at the capital assets that exist there and figuring out what the future might look like,” he says. “It’s just a really great step in maintaining and strengthening the partnership between the CVRD and CSAR.”
According to the CVRD, the current space occupies two service bays at the Bings Creek site, which includes a meeting/training space, and CSAR says they determined their future needs will include roughly 1.8 acres, with accommodation of up to 60 parking spaces.
Service work for the new facility is underway and the district says they still need to make sure work is completed.
“This will include comprehensive engagement to determine overall functional and spacial needs, facility configurations, environmental constraints, and overall costing and implementation timelines,” they say.
The district says the anticipate completion by June of this year.
