Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the William Lyon Mackenzie Fireboat with a tour of the fire boat and Marine Station 334 during Gangways Open on Toronto’s Waterfront presented by The Waterfront BIA as part of the 15th annual Doors Open Toronto presented by Great Gulf on May 24 and 25 from 10am to 5pm. Visit www.waterfrontbia.com for more information.

Named for Toronto’s first mayor, the William Lyon Mackenzie Fireboat was built in 1964 by Russel Brothers Shipyard in Owen Sound, Ontario to provide marine fire protection, search and rescue on Lake Ontario, as well as ice breaking capabilities for Toronto’s ferries and the Islands. The Fireboat is docked at Toronto Fire & Marine Station 334 (339 Queen’s Quay West) and operates 12 months a year.

The Fireboat is 24 metres long and weighs approximately 150 tonnes with a Caterpillar Diesel engine producing 3,000 horsepower to achieve a top speed of 22 kilometres per hour. The vessel has a modified Tugboat hull and five tonne crane as well as five water nozzles that can pump 50,000 litres of water a minute. The vessel is also equipped with radar, echo sounder, radio and daytime accommodation for the off-duty shift. In 2004, the vessel completed a $1 million refurbishment that will extend the in-service life by approximately 30 years.