After years of discussions and negotiations, the merger talks between the Greenwich Fire Department and the Wolfville fire department have come to an end. The chief of the Greenwich Fire Department, Jason Ripley, expressed that no one in his station or community is mourning the failure of the merger.

Ripley stated, “So far we’ve had all positive comments on that decision. General sentiment among the members of the fire department is relief that the idea’s not going forward.”

The saga began in February 2022 when the Municipality of the County of Kings decided to close the 39-member department in Greenwich, citing cost savings by having Wolfville provide fire protection for the area. However, after facing public backlash, the municipal council reversed its decision, leading to discussions about a potential merger between the two departments in April 2023.

Unfortunately, the negotiations hit a roadblock, and Wolfville recently announced that the merger could not proceed due to the inability to agree on the location of a new fire hall. Instead, the focus will be on renewing the current intermunicipal fire service agreement and constructing a new fire station to serve the Wolfville Fire District.

While Wolfville will continue to serve its community and surrounding areas, the Greenwich department has signed a five-year contract to provide services for the Municipality of the County of Kings. Ripley assured the public that there will be no significant changes in front-facing services.

The decision also entails the dissolution of the Greenwich Fire Commission to pave the way for a modernization of the governance structure for the fire service. This restructuring will allow the department to manage its assets and services directly, leading to streamlined operations.

Ripley refrained from commenting on the specifics of the disagreement over the fire station’s location, emphasizing that those discussions were held behind closed doors.