Canadian Forces Base Kingston has opened its newest building, a $48.5-million vehicle maintenance facility that brings together a number of different units under one roof.
Maj. Alison Jackson, the Officer Commanding of Logistic Support Squadron, says the base was fortunate to be selected and receive this new infrastructure, which was years in the making.
“Prior to this new building, we had eight separate buildings that were required to support the maintenance, transport and supply services required for this base. And consolidating it down into one makes it much easier.”
The garage includes 21 service bays, all full with a waiting list. There seemed to be every type of vehicle from ice scrapers to buses, and everything in between.
But the new building is much more than just a garage.
Ray Gill, a weapons technician and gunsmith, can’t say enough about the new building. He says he likes the whole new set-up.
“Passage of information and workload is much, much better when we’re all under one roof,” Gill says.
“We were really spread out before, isolated in some cases and in older buildings. The modernization really feels like we’ve accomplished quite a bit by engaging in this project.”
Whatever needed to be done, was done. In fact, when Global News was there, one technician was fabricating a part that’ll be heading to Latvia for a light armoured fighting vehicle there.
Cpl. Valerie Weight, a materials technician, says she is impressed with the new facility. Before, when the technicians were disbursed among several buildings, it took longer to communicate with colleagues and complete tasks, she says.
“Now that we’re all together, we can really work as a cohesive team, which is fantastic,” Weight says. “I can’t complain — I love my shop. There’s a lot more space, a lot more light. So it’s just a fantastic thing to have here right now.”
The new building is green as well.
Meeting environmental and energy standards, the more than 100,000-square-foot building uses about 25 per cent less energy than many buildings of similar size.