Central York Fire Services (CYFS) celebrated the two-year anniversary of the opening of Fire Station 4-5 Sept. 21 and hosted a ceremony to honour the late fire chief, Ian Laing, by renaming this innovative and award-winning building in his honour.
Ian Laing Headquarters houses two fire crews, administrative offices and CYFS’ training division. The 23,000-square-foot facility is the first fire station jointly built by the towns of Aurora and Newmarket since the communities’ consolidated their fire services in 2002.
Retired fire chief and Laing’s predecessor and mentor, John Molyneaux, welcomed a crowd of fire service professionals, dignitaries, local politicians, special guests and Chief Laing’s wife, Deborah Laing, to pay tribute to Chief Laing for his outstanding 48 years of public service, a CYFS news release said.
Chief Laing began his distinguished career with Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services in 1975. Over the course of 34 years he rose through the ranks, earning the respect and admiration of his peers. In 2010, Chief Laing took on the role of fire chief for Central York Fire Services. In addition to fire chief, Laing was the community emergency management co-ordinator from 2010 to 2016 for the towns of Aurora and Newmarket. He was then appointed regional fire co-ordinator in 2016.
“Chief Laing was a true leader — he pushed for meaningful improvements across the fire services industry and took CYFS to new heights in public safety and emergency preparedness. Creating Station 4-5 was one of the chief’s proudest career achievements, but I think the mark he’s left on the people he led and worked alongside is his most significant. He instilled the importance of training, striving for excellence, and being human. He was a mentor and guide to countless people in fire services and I’m honoured to have learned from him," CYFS Chief Rocco Volpe said.
“Chief Laing was a passionate leader who valued excellence and continuous training to help his people be their best. We will forever be grateful for his leadership and unwavering commitment to public safety. His legacy will continue to inspire us. This state-of-the-art station and training facility was a significant career achievement for Chief Laing and I’m proud to see it renamed in his honour," Aurora Mayor Tom Mrakas said.
“Chief Laing had a powerful vision for Central York Fire Services and he brought it to life. This station is a testament to his ability to lead, to connect us all and to innovate. He made a significant impact in this community and I’m proud to see his name on this station as a reminder of his dedication to public service," Newmarket Mayor John Taylor said.
Following the naming ceremony, thousands of people from across the community explored the station, took part in games and activities at the CYFS annual Open House, a long-standing event, which aims to educate residents, supports prevention and connects firefighters with the community.
