Connoquenessing approves plans for new fire station
CONNOQUENESSING — Borough council approved land development plans for the Connoquenessing Volunteer Fire Company’s proposed new fire station, which would be located at the intersection of Route 68 and Main Street.
The new station would replace the current one located on Main Street, which has been in use for more than a century.
On hand to represent the fire department at Tuesday night’s meeting were Jonathan Garczewski of Gateway Engineers, and Shanda Rossi of ASHLAR Architecture and Engineering. Both provided concept drawings of what the proposed fire station would look like.
The fire station would go on a triangular piece of property at the intersection. The station would feature a main and an auxiliary parking area, along with an overflow parking area to the south of the building which would be used for special events.
Six garage doors would line the east side of the fire station, with three more on the west side, while the station’s bell tower would face north toward the intersection.
“The fire company ... will use the bell tower for their training exercises for stuff like rappelling and drying their hoses,” Rossi said.
Plans also call for landscaping, which would face toward Main Street.
Regarding the cost of the project, fire company chief Lou Zimmerman said after the meeting bids for the project are being accepting through the middle of the month, and “we will then have a good solid number to work with.”
At last month’s borough meeting, fire company president David Cottington announced the fire company intended to pursue a $2 million Community Development Block Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
Cottington, along with Capt. Matt McConnell, also said the fire company was looking to raise between $500,000 and $1 million in private capital to fund the construction of the fire house.
