The big red fire truck is inside the Calgary Library and is open to visitors

After 18 years of helping to put out fires, a Calgary fire truck is putting on the brakes for good.

Engine 23, retired from the Calgary Fire Department, has found a new home at the Fish Creek Library, where it acts as an interactive early learning center for children.

Visitors can sit in the driver's seat, listen to recorded emergency calls and explore the actual switches and controls in the engine compartment.

“There's something about a fire truck that grabs your attention,” Sarah Meiller, CEO of the Calgary Public Library, said at a news conference Monday.

“What's special about it is that it creates interest and represents hope and security in times of crisis.”

On Monday, kids explore 23 engines at the Fish Creek Library. (Mike Symington/CBC)

In 2016, the fire truck was decommissioned and placed in the old Central Library in downtown Calgary. It then went into storage for five years before being installed at the Fish Creek Library, southeast of the city.

A 20-ton truck was lifted by crane through a hole in the library's roof last spring.

“Engine 23 is a space where kids can get curious and explore these different ways of learning,” Meylor said.

Engine 23 is lifted by a crane into the Fish Creek Library on April 22, 2023. (Scott Dippel/CBC)

Calgary Fire Chief Steve Dongworth said it's an exciting day for the city's fire department.

“At Calgary Fire, we believe it's important for kids to read often, and this is a key part of that. It's about encouraging literacy.

“We're also able to provide fire safety education, some history of the fire service, and hopefully one day recruit young firefighters.”

Tracy Johnson, CEO of the Calgary Public Library Foundation, said the project was fully funded by donors.