Groundbreaking set for new fire station

Posted to Police Beat by Katherine Miller at 5:47 p.m., Feb. 24, 2009

The Columbia Fire Department will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Fire Station No. 9 on March 4 at 8:30 a.m. stated a news release from the department.

The new station, at the intersection of Blueridge and Providence roads, will serve the north-central area of Columbia, which has seen rapid growth in the past few years. The department hopes the station will improve and maintain response times, with good north-south access along a major corridor, quick access to Interstate 70, and good east-west access along Blueridge Road, the news release stated.

Mayor Darwin Hindman, Second Ward Councilman Chris Janku, City Manager Bill Watkins, and Fire Chief William Markgraf will be speaking at the ceremony. The Columbia Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors will also be present.

All residents are invited to attend.

The project is being funded by a Capital Improvement Sales Tax Extension ballot issue, which passed in November 2005, the news release stated.

The 1.5-acre property was purchased from a local developer at $240,000. Little Dixie Construction Company was the successful bidder for the project, which will cost $1, 605, 524, the news release stated.

The new 7, 891 square foot station will include three drive-through apparatus bays, and a police substation with independent access, the news release stated.

The station will also incorporate innovative ways of collecting and cleaning storm water run-off, with a rain garden and bio-swale detention pond.