Fire Hydrants, Streetlights and More!
The Town of Creston provides a wide range of services to our community, with each service requiring the ownership and responsible operation, maintenance and renewal of physical assets. These assets include everything from transportation, water, wastewater, stormwater, parks, recreation, buildings, facilities, fire, fleet and equipment.I would like to just touch on a few of these physical assets that we may not think of when we consider what services the Town provides.
The Town of Creston has 241 fire hydrants installed to provide Creston Fire Rescue with a supply of water when emergency call outs occur. Our Engine #21 carries 1,000 gallons of water for the initial attack and by connecting on to a fire hydrant they then have a connection to a steady flow and volume of water for major situations. In addition, our Ladder #21 carries a supply of 500 gallons and when there are emergency calls to areas that may not have hydrants immediately available, our Tender #21 carries 3,000 gallons to maintain a constant flow and supply.
Most of our fire hydrants are on Town property and therefore it is the responsibility of Town staff to ensure that there is clear access, which can be challenging during months with excessive snow fall. If you notice a fire hydrant that does not have snow clearance of a metre (approximately 3 feet) around the hydrant, our Creston Fire Rescue would greatly appreciate your assistance. As we all know, in an emergency, every second counts!
Streetlights are another asset that we are responsible for. Did you know that The Town of Creston has over 500 streetlights? About two-thirds are on Fortis power poles, for which we are obligated to contract them to provide installation and maintenance. The streetlights on Highway #3 are the responsibility of the BC Government (Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure). The balance is maintained by our Public Works staff, and local electrical contractors assist when needed. If you observe a problem with a streetlight within the Town of Creston, please contact us at Town Hall and we can determine who we need to contact to resolve the issue.
The “more” is our sidewalks which amount to approximately 16 kilometres in total. The residential width is 1.5m (5 feet) and yes, some are many, many years old! During our OCP public consultation process, we clearly heard that the development of standards to promote safe, efficient, accessible and enjoyable passage for our sidewalks was a priority for our citizens. As we replace and provide new sidewalks, we are trying to increase the width up to 2m or more where the conditions allow us to do so – especially on main arterial routes. This year, 20th Avenue South saw new sidewalks built on the west side of the street. By expanding the width of the sidewalk, accessibility and safety have been greatly improved… not to mention that esthetically, it looks great!
Another “more” is the railway crossings on the CP Rail right-of-ways at Cedar Street, Railway Blvd., Valleyview Drive, Devon Street and Collis Street. These five railway crossings require an agreement with CP Rail to allow vehicles and pedestrians proper access. The Town is required to pay a monthly fee and any major upgrades required are the responsibility of the Town of Creston.
These are just a few of the “physical” assets that the Town is responsible for maintaining. However, our greatest asset that cannot be quantified is absolutely YOU – our citizens. Without your assistance, we would not be able to be the wonderful community that is the Creston Valley! ❤
Do not hesitate to contact me by: Visiting me at my office in Town Hall
Email me at ron.toyota@creston.ca
Call me at 250 428 2214 (extension 227)