Heritage in the Hat: And the new fire station No. 1 makes nine
By Medicine Hat News on October 6, 2018.
In the late 1800s, it became apparent that the city was going to need fire protection, having grown from tent city to boom town with many stately homes and large factories. Due to the widespread use of abundant natural gas, leaky or improperly installed gas lines resulted in serious explosions or fires. Businessmen were very interested in creating a fire department since many had invested their life savings in a new venture in the Gas City. Fire insurance was uncommon or unavailable. City council decided in January 1900 that “until suitable premises could be erected, the room next to Council Chambers would be fitted for the Fire Brigade.” Council was in the process of planning for a new city hall that would include a fire hall but something temporary needed tobe constructed as soon as possible. In October that year, council approved a fire hall to be built by J. L. Morris at a cost of $450. It was a wood structure with an interior painted with magnite fire proof paint and located where the south entrance to Finlay Bridge is currently. In 1906, the fire hall moved into the new city hall designed by William T. Williams. It also housed police, municipal works, and council chambers. This would be the main fire hall for the next 70 years. Two more fire halls were constructed in 1913. One at the top of Third Street at Division Avenue was required due to extended response time for the horse drawn fire apparatus to climb steep grades from downtown to protect the many homes now built on the Hill. Mud and snow could make this task nearly impossible. It was a three-storey brick structure with arched windows but never used as a fire station due to the start of the First World War and the downturn of the economy. In 1919, it was used by the Army to house 450 soldiers and then sold to Rev. F. S. Magsig, director of “Sunday School on the Air.” It was demolished in the early 1970s but the basement still exists with a much smaller structure on top. The Allowance Avenue Fire Station (at Third Avenue, now Maple Avenue) was needed to provide fire coverage for the large industrial area on that side of the CPR tracks because the crossing at Second Street was often blocked by trains. It too was never used, for the same reasons as the Third Street station. It was later used by the City Gas Department and later sold to a private businessman before being demolished in 1981. It wouldn’t be until 1975 when the next fire station was constructed. The modern design concrete block and brick veneer fire station replaced the original Moose Lodge at 440 Maple Ave. In 1978, the City of Medicine Hat was growing to the south and a station was constructed on Dunmore Road, relocated to TransCanada Way in 2017. A third fire station was constructed at the airport in 2005. Today, Fire Station No. 1 has moved to a new building, making it the ninth fire station built by the city and the first north of the river. Malcolm Sissons is the Chair of the Heritage Resources Committee of the City of Medicine Hat. This column was researched and prepared by Committee Member Wayne Lust. 10-9
