Mar 2, 2015 By Cara Host 3 min read

After about 10 years of planning, lobbying and political maneuvering, Bethel Park Volunteer Fire Company entered what officials hope will be the easiest phase in the new firehouse project – construction.

Dozens of government officials, firefighters and citizens gathered Feb. 28 at the site of the new station on Brightwood Road to break ground. Construction crews will begin excavating the site this week and work should be finished by May 2016.

“This station will help in our recruitment and retention of members and it will help us provide the highest level of fire protection to the residents of Bethel Park for at least the next 50 years,” said Fire Chief Dave Gerber.

Bethel Park demolished the old fire station about a year ago and the new building will be built on the same property. The 60-year-old station was cramped and had fallen into disrepair. Gerber said the old Brightwood station served Bethel Park’s needs when it was built in 1954, but the community’s population has nearly tripled since then. About 10 years ago, it became evident that a larger, more up-to-date building was needed.

Finding the money to cover the $8.2 million project would be tricky, since the department could not rely on donations alone. Firefighters asked Bethel Park Council for help and together they drafted a plan to support the fire department through a .34-mill property tax. As required by the municipality’s home rule charter, voters had to approve the new tax through a referendum and they did so in 2013.

Ed Schmidt, recording secretary and building committee chairman for the fire company, said it was a unique and effective way to pay for the project.

“Our community’s leadership created a relationship that will be emulated by others,” he said.

The tax will pay for debt service for the new building as well as operating costs and maintenance for the fire company’s three stations. In addition to its headquarters on Brightwood Road, the company has smaller stations on Milford Drive and Clifton Road. The fire department will have to seek donations to cover the cost of new equipment.

The new station, at 21,000 square feet, will have over 25 percent more usable space than the old building. It will also have five vehicle bays, an 80-person meeting room, full kitchen, training room, classroom, training tower, bunk rooms, gear rooms, offices and a small museum area displaying photographs, trophies and antique equipment.

Gerber reminisced about the old building and the lengths he and his crew had to go through to deal with the cramped quarters. In the old building, firefighters often had to double park and move vehicles around to access particular trucks. One of the offices was a shower stall with a few desks crammed inside.

“This new station is going to help sustain our Bethel Park Volunteer Fire Company for many years to come so that they can focus on what they do best, fight fires, and not worry about facilities,” said Timothy Moury, Bethel Park council president.

Pasheco Ross, a New York state-based architecture firm that specializes in firehouse design, drafted the plans for the new building. Tomlyn Construction of Bakerstown will be the general contractor.