City Council has delayed deciding on a second fire hall.

Faced with three options Tuesday, Council agreed to send staff back for more information instead. A date for a further discussion will be set at Council's next meeting March 25.

"We have to build a new fire hall, no question about it," said Councillor Gordon Harris. "We need a more holistic picture. We have to look at how it all ties together."

Council was asked Tuesday to approve funding for detailed planning of one of three proposals. The least expensive would cost $13.8 million and include sleeping quarters for eight firefighters and two bays for fire trucks.

The most expensive, $24.5 million proposal, included  additional training facilities, plus space for public events, and a heritage room that would contain, among other items, Fort Saskatchewan's historic Bickle fire truck.

The middle option calls for space for 10 firefighters and three fire truck bays, plus additional office space. It is estimated to cost $18.8 million.

Although Harris supported building the largest of the three halls proposed, even he agreed he had questions.

Only Mayor Gale Katchur voted against the delay. The report provided to Council Tuesday is already comprehensive and more than adequate, she said.

Fort Saskatchewan purchased a 7.7 acre site for a second fire hall in Southfort in 2016 for $4.408,000. Design for the new hall was said at that time to take place in 2018, with construction to begin in 2020.

The second fire hall is considered necessary in order to get fire trucks to the scene quickly enough even in the newer neighbourhoods.