The union representing B.C.'s paramedics is not impressed with a Victoria building being proposed as a new ambulance station.

"The CNIB building is not suitable in its current configuration," said B.J. Chute, spokesperson for the paramedics union, Local 873. "The whole building would need major renovations, not some minor upgrades." The proposed site would be yet another makeshift lodging for ambulance personnel in Victoria, Chute said. One crew already works out of a James Bay hotel. Another, slated to head to the CNIB building, is temporarily housed at Aberdeen hospital on Hillside Avenue.

Chute was responding to an announcement by B.C.'s Minister of Health that a location had been found to house a BC Ambulance Service station. George Abbott confirmed that the Service is in negotiations to lease a portion of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) building at the corner of Bay and Richmond streets. CNIB owns the building but does not utilize all of the space. The Service had backed away from building a station on a BC Hydro property at the end of Carrick Street. The decision was made in response to residents' concern, Abbott said.

In September, residents packed a church hall to protest plans for the ambulance station on Carrick Street on land leased from BC Hydro. Neigbours around the site were outraged about lack of consultation between the service and local residents. Ambulance service administration had been looking for a spot to locate a station since a lease with the Royal Jubilee Hospital was cut short in December 2006. Ambulances have been housed at Aberdeen hospital since then. The five-acre BC Hydro site on Carrick fit with the ambulance service's requirements of being within a nine-minute radius of the Jubilee. But, after residents raised the alarm and it was pointed out that the CNIB building had space to spare, ambulance staff turned their attention to the Bay and Richmond street location.

"Everything that we spent many, many months checking and doing on these other ones (potential locations) we've been trying to do in very short order on this recent property that's been brought to our attention," said BC Ambulance spokesperson Shawn Carby.

Paramedics union spokesperson Chute says he understands that Carrick Street-area residents are upset with lack of consultation they received from the Ministry of Health and from the ambulance service. But Chute maintains that the Carrick Street site is more appropriate than the CNIB building.

"We would prefer a permanent, purpose-built ambulance station," Chute said. "A trailer, hotel, or a room in a long-term care facility are not ambulance stations. ("Stations) should be the focal point of the community and not the embarrassment to the community."

Local MLA Rob Fleming doesn't think Carrick Street was a good option, but does agree better funding needs to be put in place.

"The frustration for paramedics," Fleming said, "has been that instead of a thought-out capital plan (dedicated) to the needs of that service, we've had adhoc, off-the-side-of-the-desk plans. There should be a budget and the ability for the paramedic service to identify its needs to identify and acquire optimum locations for service."

Chute said paramedics staged a rally in Vancouver in October to protest lack of appropriate funding and are considering doing the same in Victoria.

"We are planning to send a message to government," he said.

vmoreau@saanichnews.com