Teslin Gets $12.4 Million for New Fire Hall, Public Works Facility and Energy Retrofitting Projects

Minister of Community Services John Streicker, Teslin Mayor Gord Curran. Naa Sháade Háni Richard Sidney, MP Larry Bagnell and others were part of the infrastructure announcement in Teslin yesterday.

Teslin is set to benefit from $12.4 million worth of infrastructure spending towards multiple community project over the coming years.

MP Larry Bagnell, Minister of Community Services John Streicker, Teslin Mayor Gord Curran and Naa Sháade Háni Richard Sidney announced a combined total of $12.4 million in funding yesterday to help with infrastructure investments in Teslin.

Investments include the construction of a new public works storage facility and fire hall and multiple energy retrofits to community buildings.

Streicker says the retrofits that will be made to the Teslin Municipal Centre and other local buildings will help the community of Teslin save money in the long run.

"The really smart thing to do is to just to reduce our need for energy and that's whats happening in this building (the Teslin Municipal Building), Teslin Tlingit Council's Main Administration Building, their Justice Building and their Longhouse. When we reduce our energy needs, it's better for everyone. It will reduce costs for our local governments, including the Village of Teslin and the Teslin Tlingit Council,  so that they don't have to spend as much money in the first place. We also reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, so it's great."

Teslin Volunteer Fire Chief James Smarch says the new fire hall will likely be built near the Alaskan highway and will be in one central location. 

 "We have a couple of ideas (for the location). One ideas is putting the fire hall so it's in direct access to the highway. That would mean when we do get a call, we can access the highway directly rather than going through the community."

Of the investments, the Teslin Fire Hall is slated to cost over $4.1 million and the energy retrofits are expected to cost just over $3.9 million.

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