Nearly one year after a fatal house fire in Monte Creek, residents in that part of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District will vote on whether to establish and fund a new fire department.

Eligible residents from 356 properties in a portion of Electoral Area “L” (Grasslands) and a portion of Electoral Area “P” (Rivers and the Peaks) will be heading to the polls to vote on two things.

“One is for the local residents to approve the borrowing of up to $1,250,000 for the construction of the new hall as well as approve an annual tax requisition of up to $175,000 for that service area, per year, to cover operating costs,” TNRD Deputy General Manager of Operations, Jamie Vieira, told NL News.

If approved, the new Monte Creek fire hall will be built at the intersection of Dallas Drive and Hook Road on a parcel of land donated by Ed Herman, who died in the fire on June 8, 2021.

“That property is being offered as a donation by the landowner,” Vieira said. “The location of that hall is ideal to both serve the north side of the South Thompson River as well as the Monte Creek community.”

Vieira says the costs to construct the fire hall and buy equipment and vehicles is actually $2,250,000, noting the TNRD was able to get $1,000,000 of that covered through a grant.

“I am enormously pleased that we have come up with the means to bring the possibility of fire service to the Monte Creek, Del Oro and Lafarge areas within the reach of the Pritchard Volunteer Fire Department,” TNRD Chair and Area L Director, Ken Gillis, said, in a statement.

“I encourage people to take advantage of the opportunity to vote in the upcoming referendum.”

Area P Director, Mel Rothenburger, called it a “big decision” for area in Monte Creek and a large part of the area on the north side of the South Thompson River.

“Whether those within the proposed service area are in favour or opposed, it’s important for them to get out and vote,” he said.

Residents who choose to vote in the advanced polls can do so at the TNRD Civic Building in downtown Kamloops between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on May 18. Those choosing to vote on election day, May 28, can do so between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., at the BC Livestock Office at 10145 Dallas Drive.

There will also be an option for people to apply to vote by mail, with those applications due by May 6.

For more information on the referendum, including the boundaries being proposed, go here.

“I know the biggest question people have is ‘what is the service exactly proposed?’ ‘What are the properties that it is going to cover?’ and ‘what is going to cost? How is it going to impact their taxes?'” Vieira said. “All of that information is online.”