Steven Spearie
The State Journal-Register
Emotions continued to bubble up about the placement of Springfield Fire Department houses as the full city council approved the purchase of land at the southeast corner of Lawrence Avenue and Rickard Road which will be home to Station No. 8.
Meanwhile, Ward 6 Ald. Kristin DiCenso said it is time for the city “to move on and find another location that’s more suitable” for Station No. 6 as it awaits further soil testing from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency at the proposed 11th and Ash property where Honeywell-Hobbs once sat. The city wants to move the station two blocks away, from its current location at 2156 S. Ninth St., but out of Ward 6.
SFD Chief Brandon Blough contended the city “can’t cut bait on this not knowing (the outcome)” of the situation and thought the property could be remediated. Station No. 8 is currently at 2051 W. Monroe St.
Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin voted against the ordinance because it would put three firehouses west of Illinois 4.
Station No. 12 is located at 2925 South Koke Mill Road while the new Station No. 13 would be slotted for property the city owns right off of Woodside Road. (There will be an open house about Station 13 at Cherry Hills Church, 2125 Woodside Rd., from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday.). The community is invited to an open house and presentation regarding the building of this new station near Woodside Road. The open house will take place on Monday, May 9 from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at Cherry Hills Church, 2125 Woodside Road. A presentation will take place at 5:00 p.m. and last approximately 30 minutes. All other times, attendees can view the different exhibits, talk with staff, and provide comments during the open house.
Blough said the fire department has used hard data to figure out where the new stations need to go. The department has also mimicked trends other fire departments have used regarding population shifts while trying to be cognizant of four-minute response times.
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Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 