Fire and Emergency’s reconstruction programme following the 2010-11 earthquakes in Christchurch has reached completion, with the official opening of two new fire stations.

The Christchurch City Fire Station and the Sumner Fire Station have been built on the sites of the original facilities, which were demolished due to extensive damage sustained in the earthquakes.

The new Christchurch City Fire Station, located on Kilmore Street, was opened by Internal Affairs Minister Barbara Edmonds today.

The total cost for the facility was $14.07 million, which included demolition of the original station and ground remediation works.

The Government’s Covid Response and Recovery Fund contributed $11.2 million to the project.

The new facility includes four appliance bays, decontamination and storage areas, operational work areas, facilities for filling breathing apparatus, as well as training and meeting rooms.

It also features 12 bedrooms for firefighters on night shift, along with kitchen, mess, and lounge facilities.

Minister Edmonds paid tribute to the firefighters who worked from temporary facilities under less-than-ideal conditions for several years, saying “your patience has paid off with the development of this new facility and the Government is very pleased to have been able to help make it a reality.”

The Sumner Fire Station, which serves the Sumner community, will open tomorrow.

The new two-bay station is a completely new building, replacing the original facility that was extensively damaged in the earthquakes.

Fire and Emergency purchased land next to the original site to enable a larger station to be built.

The Sumner Volunteer Fire Brigade moved into temporary quarters while their former station was demolished and the new facility constructed.

The total cost for the Sumner Fire Station was $4.52 million, with $2.9 million funded by the Covid Response and Recovery Fund.