May 24, 2018
Ground broken for new fire station
By Jerry W. Kram
It has been a long road to hoe, but John De Groot finally got to move a shovelful of dirt to mark the start of the construction of a new Fire Hall for New Town.
“It’s been about six years since we started fundraising for this,” DeGroot said. “With the new higher buildings in the area we need a ladder truck and it won’t fit into the current fire station. We can’t leave that truck outside. It costs $1 million.”
The Fire Hall will house both the New Town Volunteer Fire Department and the New Town Rural Fire Department. Both the City of New Town and the townships served by the Rural Fire Department have contributed to the construction. The station will cost $4.1 million, along with $1 million for the new ladder truck. Half of the cost of the fire station will be paid by the city sales tax approved by voters last August.
The Department has raised more than $500,000 for the new ladder truck and the city will be paying for the rest. DeGroot said the local firefighters will have to go through special training and certification for the ladder truck.
“It’s been about six years since we started fundraising for this,” DeGroot said. “With the new higher buildings in the area we need a ladder truck and it won’t fit into the current fire station. We can’t leave that truck outside. It costs $1 million.”
The Fire Hall will house both the New Town Volunteer Fire Department and the New Town Rural Fire Department. Both the City of New Town and the townships served by the Rural Fire Department have contributed to the construction. The station will cost $4.1 million, along with $1 million for the new ladder truck. Half of the cost of the fire station will be paid by the city sales tax approved by voters last August.
The Department has raised more than $500,000 for the new ladder truck and the city will be paying for the rest. DeGroot said the local firefighters will have to go through special training and certification for the ladder truck.
