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Firefighters enjoy new digs in White Cloud

Posted at 5:15 PM, Nov 11, 2014
and last updated 2014-11-11 21:17:37-05

WHITE CLOUD, MI. -- It's been many years in the making but firefighters in White Cloud in Newaygo County are enjoying a brand new fire station. The new station actually serves about five different communities and is everything including state-of-the-art.

Construction started in the Fall of 2013 at a total cost of about $650,000, actually coming in a bit under budget. It's being paid for by the sale of bonds. The old fire station was built in the 1920s and has been used for various functions. The fire department simply outgrew the capacity. The newer, larger fire trucks had problems getting through the smaller bay doors, the space for trucks, equipment, and personnel was cramped, and it just wasn't conducive to streamlining operations in a field that needs to be quick, easy, and efficient.

The old fire station was actually dilapidated with water leaking through the roof and just a shortage of space. Officials maintain that it would have cost more to update in the long run instead of just starting from scratch. Their new facility for White Cloud, Everett Township, Wilcox Township, Sherman Township, and Lincoln Township has extra large bay doors in both the front and back of the building, and boasts more than 8,000 square feet. It's also being outfitted with offices, a conference room, kitchen, and a mezzanine overlooking the entire garage/facility.

Hughes Builders of West Michigan built the facility and said their biggest challenge was dealing with the weather from time to time since the winter of 2014 was particularly brutal. Vice President Randy Hughes actually says "this facility has a nicer roof system than some of the other ones we've built. It's got a lot more insulation in it. It's just more up to date. It's just more efficient than the other ones."

When West Michigan Stories visited the new station in late September workers were still putting the finishing touches on it. Drywall, carpentry, and several other items were still in need of completion. Many of the folks involved said this project was more than 10 years in the making. Why so long? White Cloud Clerk Treasurer Lora Kalkofen says "location was one of the issues as far as finding a perfect location that would serve all of the area, and design was another issue." Turns out the new station was built about a mile away from the old one and it's not located directly in town any more.

Get more information by going to White Cloud's city site here. You can also get more information here (in PDF format) from the White Cloud Joint Building Authority, responsible for spearheading the project.