Newtown Hook & Ladder Eyes

Queen Street Property For New Firehouse

By Steve Bigham

Two years ago this month, the Hook & Ladder firehouse behind Edmond Town Hall was ruled structurally unsafe after town officials discovered weaknesses in the flooring. Trucks and other apparatus had to be moved outside the aging building until the floors could be shored up.

That was supposed to be a temporary solution. Today, however, the aging building continues to house Hook & Ladder, but the town’s oldest fire company says it can wait no longer. It needs a new home. On Monday, Fire Chief Dave Ober will go before the Board of Selectmen to discuss a plan to build a new firehouse on town-owned property along Queen Street.

The plan calls for the construction of a fire station (about the size of the existing Sandy Hook firehouse) in the area across the street from Borough Lane. This area is near the midway point between Grand Place and Mile Hill Road.

“We’ll be talking to the Selectmen on the feasibility of the property on Queen Street that the town already owns,” Chief Ober said. “The town stated that it would help us, but they would not build the building for us. We’re looking at what they can do to help us.”

Hook & Ladder has also considered other locations, according to Chief Ober. However, much of that land has either been out of the fire company’s price range or unavailable to build on.

 Hook & Ladder has ruled out using the existing firehouse at Fairfield Hills.

“First off, the town doesn’t even own the property and it’s an old existing building that has old building problems – like the one we’re in now,” Chief Ober said. “It’s not a bad location, but our district goes all the way to the Brookfield town line on Hanover Road.”

In June 1998, town officials noticed significant shifting in the interior and exterior walls on the southwest corner of the building.

 The original Hook & Ladder fire station was built during the late 1920s with town funds. Two sections have been added on since with money raised by Hook & Ladder. Chief Ober said his company plans to pay for this project.

“It would make things easier for everybody if we were on par with the other departments,” he said Tuesday. “Unfortunately, it’s going to be very expensive to build a fire department at these prices.”

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal said he remains open-minded about a firehouse on Queen Street. He points out that using some of the Queen Street land for a municipal building has always been in the cards.

In July of 1999, the Town of Newtown became the owner of a narrow strip of open space along Queen Street for $1.25 million. The former state property consists of six houses and eight vacant lots.

Taxpayers approved the purchase, 155-8, at a town meeting in January of that year.

The parcels cover about 15 acres along the east side of Queen Street and include empty houses once used for staff from the former mental hospital, plus a barn and stone outbuilding.

Queen Street residents have indicated they want the land to stay as it is. The view to the east over rolling meadows is breathtaking, they say. They are expected to be present at Monday’s meeting.