The first fire truck purchased brand-new by the Town of Qualicum Beach has been sold for $1 to a man in Duncan who will restore the vehicle.
Daniel Sailland, Town CAO, said the truck, a 1962 Ford, was “past its useful life and failing its Commercial Vehicle Inspection,” therefore the Qualicum Beach Fire Department chief decided to sell the vehicle in the summer of 2017.
“There was no prospective buyer for the truck for over one year,” Sailland said. “This vehicle could have been sold to any interested person and, fortunately for the town, this individual from Duncan approached us and we completed a sale.The vehicle was being kept outdoors as there was no indoor space available. Now the vehicle will be fully restored, will be properly stored and will remain available to the town for special events, upon request.”
Sailland added that the purchaser, Bill Aumen, was sold the truck for $1 on the condition he give the Town of Qualicum Beach “a right of first refusal” to buy the truck back, fully restored, if and when he chooses to dispose of the vehicle in the future.
“Under any other circumstance this truck would have been sold and we would have never seen the vehicle again,” Sailland said. “We feel blessed with the fact that the individual who purchased the vehicle did so because he wants to restore it. Furthermore, he has agreed to bring the restored fire truck back to Qualicum Beach for special events when requested.”
