A new $45 million emergency services station to be built at the intersection of Clunies Ross Street and Parkes Way in Acton is set to be operational by 2022-23.
Built to service Canberra’s city and Inner North, the new station will house two Ambulance Services and ACT Fire & Rescue crews and two appliances, with the added ability to house an extra appliance or support vehicle if required.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the location was chosen “strategically”, with its proximity to arterial roads to ensure faster response times.
This investment is supported further by the June announcement of 99 new firefighters who will join ACT Fire & Rescue by the end of 2024 to help staff the new station.
The further staffing came on the back of a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement between the ACT Government and the United Firefighters Union.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services Mick Gentleman said the existing Fire & Rescue station and the Ambulance facility that service the Inner North – at Ainslie and Dickson respectively – are both in need of maintenance and repair work.
“This will relieve some pressure on the older stations as we go forward too,” he said.
Given its location, the new station is predicted to be the busiest one for both ACT Ambulance Service and ACT Fire & Rescue.
The design process will involve firefighting and ambulance staff input.
“The new City Station is being designed and constructed to provide flexibility in the number of crews and appliances that the station can accommodate on a 24/7 basis to maintain service delivery and support to the community,” Mr Gentleman said.
Once this station is up and running, a new station servicing the Molongo Valley is next in the pipeline. In the interim, the Acton station will service the Molonglo Valley region.
