12/19/2025
Our community is moving forward with the development of a new Fire and Rescue Training Centre, a dedicated facility designed to strengthen emergency response, improve firefighter safety, and enhance public protection across our region.
The goal of this centre is to provide realistic, hands-on training in a controlled environment for fire, rescue, and emergency response personnel. Once complete, the facility will support training in areas such as forcible entry, extrication, water and ice rescue, and multi-agency response—ensuring our responders are prepared for real-world emergencies.
Significant progress has already been made. The training centre is located on a 5-acre property, with approximately 3 acres cleared to date. Land clearing has been completed, gravel pads have been installed, five sea cans are on site, and a forcible entry training door has already been purchased. These early investments demonstrate our commitment and momentum toward making this centre a reality.
Looking ahead, future development plans include the installation of a municipal water source, the addition of dry hydrants, construction of a dedicated concrete pad for vehicle extrication training, development of a large pond to support water and ice rescue training, and the extension of existing gravel pads to accommodate additional training infrastructure.
This project already has strong regional support, with all nine Fire Chiefs from the Town and County of Antigonish fully behind the development of the training centre. This unified leadership reflects the recognized need for a shared, regional facility that strengthens cooperation and preparedness across departments.
This facility is being developed with a long-term regional vision, intended to support not only our local department but surrounding communities as well. It will serve as a hub for collaboration, skills development, and continuous training—benefiting both responders and the public they serve.
While important groundwork has been completed, continued development depends on financial support from the community. Contributions from individuals, businesses, and organizations will directly support the next phases of construction and help ensure the centre meets both current and future training needs.
By supporting the Fire and Rescue Training Centre, you are investing in preparedness, safety, and resilience. Together, we can build a facility that strengthens emergency response and helps protect lives for generations to come.
Please send us an email at [email protected] for more details or to donate!
