Embedding Alex Munro's name on the new Valleycliffe fire hall costs more than municipal officials initially thought it would.
As a result, , council voted unanimously in favour of authorizing up to $15,000 to be spent on installing the letter for Munro's name on Fire Hall No. 1.
While elected officials permitted bureaucrats to spend that amount, staff expect the actual cost will likely be around $11,000.
"The anticipated work of fabricating and installing the sign is estimated to be $11,000," said Megan Latimer, the municipality's director of public safety.
"This amount exceeds staff's original estimate at the cost, which was initially proposed to be absorbed by savings in 2022 operational budgets."
As a result, Latimer said, staff recommended that to complete this work as soon as possible, the municipality should use money from the 2022 council contingency fund.
This would cover the cost of adding additional signage reading, 'Alex Munro' to the exterior of the new fire hall.
Mayor Armand Hurford decided it would be best to authorize a higher number, just in case inflation raises the price.
"We'll just add up to $15,000 to allow for the shocking amount of inflation that we see," said Hurford. "And if it does exceed the $11,000 quote, you don't have to come back to us unless it grossly exceeds that … I think this is a totally appropriate course of action and covers off potential [inflation] and I'm looking forward to seeing it be completed."
Coun. John French said he was glad to see the project through to the end.
"In the month of August, when I had the honour of being the acting mayor, this was a pretty hot topic," said French. "I put a lot of time and energy into this signage. Had some really great discussions with the surviving family members, who are very keen and enthusiastic to have the name Alex Munro on the building. Very happy that we're at this point today where we're committing this money and preserving Squamish's heritage in this way."
Indeed, earlier this year, the naming of the fire hall was a point of debate in the community.
The District initially had planned on having the lettering on the building read Squamish Fire Hall No. 1 without referring to Munro, a pioneer who started the town's first fire brigade.
The previous Valleycliffe fire hall had been dedicated to Munro, so family members had expected the new hall to bear his name.
However, Munro's name was absent from the new building. After much publicity was raised about the matter, the District decided that it would add the name to the building.
At the recent council meeting, Coun. Chris Pettingill said he also supported adding the name to the building, but also noted some concern about how this relates to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
"Where I have some discomfort still is we've got Xwu'nekw Park and Sp'akw'us Park and we are starting to adjust how we are naming things, and I don't want to suggest that this [Alex Munro] naming is undeserved or unwarranted," said Pettingill.
"But I guess I'm not settled in my own mind that the amount of attention we're paying to different names to different groups for different reasons in our community that we've got a good equitable balance there yet."
Pettingill said he hopes council will consider thinking more about the role of naming and sponsorship in the community.
Coun. Eric Andersen echoed Pettingill's concerns, but noted that members of the S岣祑x瘫wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) supported putting Munro's name on the fire hall.
"This fire hall facility is, in fact, built on the former Stawamus ... Reserve ... — land that was ceded to the railway in 1914," said Andersen. "However, the Squamish Nation community has come out very strongly and been present at the opening ceremony we had last August in support of this naming…commemorating Alex Munro."
