Montréal, 27 January 2016 - Located at 40, avenue Saint-Just in the Borough of Outremont, the Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal (SIM) fire station 75 blends the old and new, combining the preserved hose tower from the original building with a cutting-edge new structure.

The Ville de Montréal, which is committed to preserving its built heritage and enhancing the sense of safety by having firefighters stationed within a community, is pleased to announce the official opening of the recently rebuilt station. “Because public safety is a priority for our administration, we are delighted to announce the reopening of station 75. Rebuilt at a cost of over $7 million, the building meets all current standards and preserves the heritage value of the original fire station, as the old hose tower was retained,” says Anie Samson, Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee and member responsible for public security and services to residents.

Marie Cinq-Mars, Mayor of the Borough of Outremont, says that “the modern building helps enhance the image of the Saint-Viateur block, a part of the Borough of Outremont that is in the midst of a real renewal.”

After spending over a year in a temporary shelter next to the construction site, the station firefighters have begun making their new workplace their own. “The new building gives the people who work there every day a healthy and safe environment that meets the needs of fire station life,” adds SIM Director François Massé.

In September 2012, the Montréal Executive Committee approved the plans to demolish station 75, while preserving the hose tower. This decision followed a qualitative assessment of municipal buildings commissioned in 2009, which concluded that the building had a Facility Condition Index of more than 60%. The decision also took into account the assessment of the building’s heritage interest carried out in conjunction with the qualitative assessment.