TOWNSHIP OF ESQUIMALT STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: July 20, 2026 Report No. FIRE-26-005
TO: Council
FROM: Matt Furlot, Fire Chief
SUBJECT: Naming of the Township's New Fire and Emergency Management Facility
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council approve naming the Township's new fire and emergency management facility as the Esquimalt Fire Hall.
Body
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval for the official public name of the Township's new fire and emergency management facility prior to occupancy, completion of building signage, and public opening.
The project was originally conceived as a combined Police and Fire Public Safety Building, making the working title appropriate during planning and construction. As the project evolved, the police component was removed and the completed facility will instead house Esquimalt Fire Rescue Services, the Township's Emergency Operations Centre, and the Emergency & Resiliency Program.
Following a review of naming options, staff recommend adopting Esquimalt Fire Hall as the building's permanent public identity. The recommendation reflects the building's primary public function, aligns with recognized principles of civic branding and emergency communication, and formalizes terminology by which residents already recognize and refer to the facility.
BACKGROUND:
When the project was initiated nearly six years ago, the facility was envisioned as a combined Police and Fire Public Safety Building. At that time, the working name Public Safety Building (PSB) accurately reflected the intended purpose of the project.
As the project evolved, the police component was removed while the project continued under the established working title throughout planning, design, approvals, and construction. The completed facility will instead serve as the home of Esquimalt Fire Rescue Services, the Township's Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), and the Emergency & Resiliency Program.
With project completion anticipated early in 2027, staff consider it timely to establish the building's permanent public identity before final signage, wayfinding, and public communications are completed.
ANALYSIS:
Staff reviewed several naming options for the facility using principles of civic naming, public communication, emergency wayfinding, and community recognition. The review considered the original project name, the completed building function, the services located within the facility, how residents are most likely to identify and refer to the building, and how the selected name will represent the Township for decades to come.
• Building Function
The completed facility is no longer a combined public safety building. While it houses the Township's Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), the EOC is an operational function within the building rather than its primary public identity. Unlike the EOC, which is activated only during emergencies, the building functions every day as the operational home of Esquimalt Fire Rescue Services.
From a public perspective, the facility will principally be recognized as the Township's fire hall or fire station. Its daily operations, public interactions, and emergency response functions will be overwhelmingly associated with the fire service. Naming the facility in a manner that reflects its primary public function therefore provides greater clarity than retaining the original project name.
• Community Identity
Effective civic naming relies on names that are simple, intuitive, and consistent with how residents naturally identify public facilities. Historical Township records demonstrate longstanding use of the term Fire Hall, while current Township communications routinely refer to the existing facility using the same terminology.
Examples include the Fire Hall Spooktacular event at Halloween and the Fire Hall Open House held during Fire Prevention Week. This reflects an identity that is already familiar within the community and maintains continuity with the Township’s history.
• Public Communication
Staff considered several alternative names, including Public Safety Building, Esquimalt Fire and Emergency Operations Centre, Esquimalt Fire and Emergency Services Centre, Fire and Emergency Services Centre, Esquimalt Fire Station, and Esquimalt Fire Hall. While some of these names are technically descriptive, longer names are more difficult to communicate, less memorable, and do not necessarily improve public understanding.
Short, familiar names are easier to use consistently in emergency notifications, media communications, mapping applications, public education materials, and everyday conversation. During emergencies, this familiarity becomes particularly important. Residents directed to report to the Fire Hall following a significant emergency, such as an earthquake, are more likely to immediately recognize the intended destination than if directed to a more administrative or technical building name.
The review also considered consistency with mapping applications, emergency notification systems, municipal communications, and future public wayfinding.
• Co-branding
While the building requires a single public identity, the services operating within the facility have established identities that should continue to be recognized. Staff therefore recommend a co-branding approach whereby the building name is supported by the programs operating within it:
Fire Hall
Esquimalt Fire Rescue Services
Esquimalt Emergency & Resiliency Program
This approach establishes one clear public identity while appropriately recognizing both municipal programs.
• Evaluation of Naming Options
Staff further evaluated three top naming options:
• Public Safety Building
• Fire Station
• Fire Hall
Both Fire Hall and Fire Station accurately describe the completed facility. Following evaluation against community recognition, historical continuity, emergency communication, simplicity, and long-term civic identity, Staff recommend Fire Hall as the preferred building name. A detailed comparison is provided in Appendix A.
OPTIONS:
1. That Council approve naming the Township's new fire and emergency management facility the Esquimalt Fire Hall. (Recommended)
This option aligns with community usage, provides a clear public identity, supports emergency communications, and reflects the facility's primary function.
2. That Council approve naming the Township's new fire and emergency management facility Esquimalt Fire Station.
This option accurately reflects the building's operational function and provides a suitable alternative while achieving many of the same communication objectives.
3. That Council retain the existing project name Public Safety Building.
While this reflects the project's original concept. Staff do not recommend this option as the completed facility no longer houses the police department and the name is less reflective of the building's public function.
COUNCIL PRIORITY:
Good Governance and Operational Effectiveness
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There are no financial implications associated with this recommendation.
Confirming the building's permanent name before occupancy allows signage, communications, and wayfinding materials to be finalized without future revisions.
COMMUNICATIONS/ENGAGEMENT:
Following Council's direction, the approved name will be incorporated into final building signage, municipal communications, public wayfinding, project opening materials, and future Township branding associated with the facility.
TIMELINES & NEXT STEPS:
• Council approves building name
• Finalize building signage
• Update project communications
• Incorporate approved name into opening ceremonies, public information, and organizational records
REPORT REVIEWED BY:
1. Ian Irvine, Director of Finance, Reviewed
2. Deb Hopkins, Director of Corporate Services, Reviewed
3. Dan Horan, Chief Administrative Officer, Concurrence
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
1. Appendix A - Evaluation of Naming Options
2. Appendix B - Concept Signage Renderings
3. Appendix C - Evidence Considered