Construction underway on a two-story facility for the Hardy’s Chapel Volunteer Fire Department, space that will provide firefighters with meeting space and restrooms.
Chief Henry Webb said volunteers have not had restrooms on-site up to this point. He said the 30-by-50 space will include a small kitchen, a large meeting space, and two offices on each floor. He said the department has been saving money for a facility since 2017.
“It will be nice when we get there,” Webb said. “Like I said, we’re starting to wire it now. Just small things, you know, we’ve still got to do plumbing, you know, just things like that, but we had to stop because we ran out of money.”
Webb said raising money to keep the project moving has been quite a chore. He said through chili suppers and auctions, the department has raised some $50,000 to fund construction. He said he hopes to have the building complete and be moved in by the summer of 2025.
“If we can get help, the means we’ll help others,” Webb said. “But before we can help others though, we’ve got to get help.”
He said with no meeting space, the department has relied on a neighboring church to host its meetings. He said the new facility will allow the department to hold its most important events right at home.
“We’re strictly volunteer,” Webb said. “We’re nonprofit, so all of our money goes into the fire department, whatever we get. None goes nowhere else. We just need the room. We need the room to grow.”
He said the community is growing quickly and the department needs more space to be able to keep up with the need. He said with discussions growing about new subdivisions nearby, now is the time to add on. He said he would like to add truck bays for the two large engines and three mini-pumper trucks.
“There’s one development going in and I overheard 200 homes going in,” Webb said. “And, you know, that’s over a period of time. So, we’re trying to get ready.”
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