Plans ready for new Poudre Canyon fire stations

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

Plans are underway to bring the Poudre Canyon Fire Protection District into the 21st century, thanks to voter approval of a mill levy increase last November.

Former district board member Bill Sears said the improvements are long overdue. The current upper canyon fire station is "just a cave in the side of the mountain," he noted.

"We're way past due on an update on our fire equipment up there," Sears said, because the cave facility doesn't have room for modern ambulances and fire engines.

Sears is construction manager for the project. The district will build two facilities, one in the upper canyon and one in the lower. Each will provide both a fire station and a community center.

Total cost of the project is estimated at $2.18 million. Funds will come from the increased mill levy, which went from 5.5 mills to 21.15 mills, as well as grants. The tax hike will raise about $160,000 per year for the fire district, compared with its former revenue of $42,000.

JCL Architecture of Fort Collins has developed drawings for the new digs, and the board of directors is close to hiring a contractor for the project.

"It's a great time to build," Sears said, with the cost of materials down and contractors cutting their prices as well.

According to Sears, the district hopes to break ground on the upper canyon facility this August. If possible, work on the lower canyon building will begin at the same time, but that will depend on funding.

The district has sufficient funds to complete the upper canyon facility, but it's still short for the lower canyon project. Bette Blinde, who serves as fire chief and president of the district, is also the volunteer grant writer for the organization. That's a high-pressure job, since the district plans to raise half the money needed through grants.

It's anticipated that canyon residents will benefit from reduced fire insurance premiums once the new stations are finished. The facilities will be able to accommodate new and improved equipment, decreasing response times to both fires and medical emergencies.

The goal of JCL Architecture, according to project manager Kyle McLear, is to have the new fire stations qualify for minimum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. This program, sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council, provides guidelines for design and construction that are energy-efficient and friendly to the environment.