Today, Central York Fire Services (CYFS) celebrated the two-year anniversary of the opening of Fire Station 4-5 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.
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 Coordinator from 2010 to 2016 for the Towns of Aurora and Newmarket. He was then appointed Regional Fire Coordinator 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.” – Central York Fire Services Fire Chief Rocco Volpe
“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
“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
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.
About Ian Laing Headquarters (Station 4-5)
Opened in 2022, the Ian Laing Headquarters is a 23,000 square-foot headquarters and training facility for Central York Fire Services. It is the first fire-station jointly built by the Towns of Aurora and Newmarket and is centrally located at 300 Earl Stewart Drive in Aurora to improve response to both communities. The award-winning, energy efficient, multi-story facility houses two electric vehicle charging stations, a spray washing system to improve the longevity of fire trucks, numerous boardrooms and office space. Importantly, it is home to two working fire suppression crews which helps reduce response times.
About the Central York Fire Services
Central York Fire Services (CYFS) is a consolidated fire department that provides protection to the Towns of Newmarket and Aurora. CYFS operates under the direction of a six-member Joint Council Committee made up of three members from each of the Town Councils. The Joint Council Committee provides and administers a borderless, single-tier of fire protection and prevention services throughout both towns in accordance with the Consolidated Fire Services Agreement and the Fire Protection and Prevention Act. Visit cyfs.ca for more information.
