Caldwell breaks ground on new fire station

CALDWELL — Businesses and residents north of the interstate here will soon have their own fire station.

The City of Caldwell broke ground on Jan. 28 for its third fire station. The groundbreaking drew a crowd of just over 70 despite the morning cold.

According to the City of Caldwell, the station will serve an estimated 20,000 citizens once the area is completely developed. Several new residential subdivisions are in the active stages of construction on either side of the new station site.

The station will also be the closest emergency-response facility for the Sky Ranch Business Park and the North Ranch Business Park, both under development on Franklin Road east of the interstate. Ball Ventures Ahlquist just announced the development of the North Ranch property on Jan. 21

“This has been a long time in the making,” said Caldwell Fire Chief Mark Wendelsdorf. “We worked diligently for all the folks east of the freeway to provide them better service and better response times, and also for our firefighters, to provide them with a safer work environment and accommodations.”

Fire station No. 3 will be on a two-acre site at the corner of Skyway St. and S. KCID Road. The 10,000- square-foot facility will cost just over $5 million. Beniton Construction of Meridian is the general contractor for the project. The estimate for the completion of the new station is before the end of 2020.

To prepare for manning the new station, the Caldwell Fire Department has hired new firefighters over the last two years. They anticipate hiring three more this fall to round out the staff.

“This is important moment for not just the fire department, but for the local businesses and residents on this side of Caldwell,” Mayor Garret Nancolas said to the waiting crowd just before the groundbreaking. “There were delays in getting the funding together, but we persevered until we could be here today.”

The mayor made a special mention of Mark Newton, president of Beniton, complimenting the firm’s relationship with the city: “He’s been working with us, making sure the station is built efficiently and cost-effectively.”

The mayor also thanked the city’s firefighters and staff, the Meridian and Nampa Fire Departments and the surrounding fire districts in the county, as wells as local EMS organizations, for their recommendations, help and encouragement.

The groundbreaking crew of 18 included Nancolas, Wendelsdorf, City Engineer Robb MacDonald, Fire Marshal Andy Cater, city council members, other senior firefighters and city staff, representatives of the chamber of commerce and personnel from Beniton Construction.