Calgary fire truck ready for play and adventure at Fish Creek Library

Engine 23 at Calgary's Fish Creek Library. (Calgary Public Library Foundation)

A library in southeast Calgary now has a decommissioned fire truck for children to play with.

Engine 23 officially opened at Fish Creek Library on Bonaventure Drive S.E. on Monday.

The truck helped crews fight fires for 18 years before being donated to Calgary Public Library.

It was located at the old Central Library downtown, but was moved into storage in 2018 as the site was closed and the library moved to its new location in the East Village.

Officials with the Calgary Public Library say they were looking for the right opportunity to bring the fire truck back.

Engine 23 was moved to Fish Creek Library last spring.

Opened in 1985, Fish Creek is the Calgary Public Library's largest location and easily identifiable because of its glass roof and unique architecture designed to resemble the Rocky Mountains.

To get Engine 23 inside the library, the truck, which weighs more than 20 tonnes, was lifted by crane and slid into a small opening between the peaks of the glass roof. It now sits on the second floor.

A crane is used to life Engine 23 into Calgary's Fish Creek Library. (Calgary Public Library) Calgary Public Library CEO Sarah Meilleur says Engine 23 will help nurture creativity and innovation.

Children can sit in the driver’s seat, listen to pre-recorded emergency calls and explore real switches and levers in the back cab, or they can climb up to the top of the truck to find a neighbourhood map to practice their navigation skills.

In addition, an accessible cab will provide an authentic experience for children and parents who may have mobility challenges.

Calgary Fire Department chief Steve Dongworth says kids will be able to use Engine 23 to play together, learn life-saving fire safety tips and create their own adventures.

"Not only are we encouraging reading and literacy as a lifelong skill, but we are giving children a fun and engaging way to learn about everything from basic fire safety to navigation skills and even potentially a future career path," Dongworth said in a news release.

The installation of the fire truck was made possible through to the Calgary Public Library Foundation.

For more information about Engine 23 and its opening celebrations, you can visit the Calgary Public Library's website.