Town OKs new fire headquarters

Richard Weizel, Register Correspondent December 02, 2002

STRATFORD — A long-awaited new $6 million fire headquarters will replace the current 60-year old Main Street building, now that plans have been unanimously approved by the Town Council, acting in its capacity as the Ordinance Committee.

As a formal procedure the council will make the bonding plan official in a final vote at its next meeting Dec. 12 at 7:15 p.m. in Town Hall, according to Council Minority Leader Jennifer Hillgen, R-1. Hillgen is also temporary chairman of the Ordinance Committee and of the Public Safety Committee. Despite concerns raised by several residents that the council had to be careful about approving too much bonding, Hillgen and fire officials said the town’s main firehouse has had serious problems and been outdated for nearly a decade. "The problems in that building are very serious and it’s not fair that we are asking people who work to protect us and save our lives to work in deplorable conditions," said Hillgen. He added that "I’m as concerned that the town does not over-extend itself with too much bonding as much as anyone. But we’re also never going to get interest rates as low as they are now, so it really is a perfect time to do it." Deputy Fire Chief John Sybart said the firehouse needed to be replaced "a long time ago." "We’ve got a badly leaking roof, little space and the building is in violation of several building codes such as having no handicapped accessibility," said Sybart. "Very simply, we’ve outgrown this space and we are badly in need of a new building." The firehouse project will be bonded through the town’s capital improvement program. Town officials said they have tried to gain approval to build a new Fire Department headquarters since the early 1990s, but that the plans have fallen through several times. The town has obtained several stores adjacent to the current site, along Main Street to Cemetery Street. The stores and the former community services building will be demolished, and the new fire station will replace them, officials said. A proposalto also convert the old firehouse building to an emergency medical services headquarters, which is currently located in the basement of the police station, has been put on hold. The fire station plan was designed by the local architectural firm Antinozzi and Associates. It includes four bays and a two-story attached building. The building will house the firefighters’ living quarters and include expanded office space for the department administration and fire marshals. The council, in its role as Ordinance Committee, also approved $215,000 in bonding to pay for repairs recently completed at the Flood Middle School pool. Hillgen said the pool, which is nearly 30 years old, had pipe damage and needed other major repairs.

©New Haven Register 2002