On Saturday, Aurora Fire Rescue held a grand opening ceremony for a new station that replaced an old dilapidated firehouse. The event gave the public a chance to see the new space, climb into a fire engine, and meet the firefighters.
The original Station 9 was built in 1979 and operated as a single-company house with one fire engine and a four-person crew. The space was retrofitted to include individual dorm rooms, but there wasn’t enough space for doors. As the building aged, shifting soil under the foundation caused cracks and gaps between the walls and floors.
AFR received $9.5 million, primarily through the American Rescue Plan Act, to replace the structure, which was demolished in May of last year.
The new 12,000-square-foot facility includes 11 dorm rooms, eight bathrooms, a fitness room, and an open floor plan with a kitchen, dining areas, and a day room. It also includes a state-of-the-art, double-length, three-vehicle bay…