New fire station on track

BLUE RIVER: Contractors, architects, and Upper McKenzie Rural Fire Protection District personnel all stood in the cold mud of a vacant lot on March 6th. They were there to discuss when hammers would actually start to swing in the rebuild of a fire station for Blue River.

After more than three years of effort, excavation is planned to get underway within a few weeks. Plans call for the new fire station to be up and ready by November.

Back in September of 2021, the 51742 Dexter Street lot was purchased for the new station. In December, an architect was selected.

“Months of compromising and designing followed, fitting the district’s wishes for a station that would meet all desires with a budget that allowed them to build what they really need,” according to Mike Godfrey, president of the UMRFPD board.

In late January a construction contract was awarded to the low bidder, Bridgeway Construction from Lowell, for $1,886,826.

The new station will cover 2,669 square feet, with two full-size engine bays, a training room, a locker room, bathrooms, and some storage space.

“While the building construction is going on, the Chief and volunteers will be busy procuring a new fire engine to replace the one burned in the fire and the hundreds of pieces of equipment needed for a fire station and to equip a fire truck,” Godfrey said.