Calgary fire truck ready for play and adventure at Fish Creek Library
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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Speaker kicks Poilievre out of Commons over unparliamentary comments
Speaker Greg Fergus kicked Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre out of the House of Commons during question period today.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.
Judge raises threat of jail in hush money trial as he holds Trump in contempt, fines him US$9,000
Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined US$9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. And if he does it again, the judge warned, he could be jailed.
Court upholds Milwaukee police officer's firing for posting racist memes after Sterling Brown arrest
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a former Milwaukee police officer was properly fired for posting racist memes related to the arrest of an NBA player that triggered a public outcry.
Witness details deadly wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A driver who witnessed a wrong-way police pursuit on Highway 401 moments before a fatal crash said he was hoping the chase would have been called off before lives were lost.