Grand Junction Fire Department breaks ground on new fire station

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) - This morning, the Grand Junction Fire Department broke ground on its new Fire Station 3.

“We’ve been talking about it for a number of years and to be able to get to this day and start construction and then certainly get it open in the next eight to ten months will be exciting,” said Fire Chief Ken Watkins.

Fire Station 3 is the department’s oldest station and has been around since 1975. It’s also one of the busiest stations so a new facility is needed to provide room for the department to grow in the future.

The Grand Junction Fire Department did a land exchange with School District 51 to be able to build Fire Station 3 in its new location. So, Pomona Elementary School’s parking lot will be rebuilt in the station’s old location.

“When Ken contacted us about whether we’d want to swap some land and do that, we were in from day one just because, once again, it’s a distinct benefit to us,” said District 51′s superintendent Dr. Diana Sirko.

Dr. Sirko says D-51′s partnership with the fire department helps the district do its part in keeping the community safe.

“This is just a great example of how we can all work together to keep our communities safe, keep our schools safe. Really everyone is on the same page.,” said Dr. Sirko. “We all want the same thing for the safety and welfare for everyone.”

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