There finally seems to be some progress in giving the Broad Channel Volunteer Fire Department a new firehouse.
Recently, both houses of the state legislature approved a bill that would allow the state to supervise the project. The bill comes in response to the city’s refusal to give the fire department access to funding provided in next year’s Omnibus Transportation Bill. Both Congressmember Anthony Weiner and then-Senator Hillary Clinton had placed $2 million in the bill to fund the new firehouse in 2005, but the city did not feel the project was necessary and did not approve access to the money.
Following the city’s negative response to the project, Senator Shirley Huntley and Assemblymember Audrey Pheffer worked to create legislation that would allow the state’s Dormitory Authority to provide federal funding for the new firehouse and let the Department of Transportation supervise the project.
“The bill was to allow them to access the money and to build. They were having an issue with the city and we decided to test it with the state,” said Huntley.
The legislation comes at a time when the Broad Channel Volunteer Fire Department (BCVFD) is in dire need of a new home. Its current firehouse is one of many that is deteriorating.
“They need to be updated. All the firehouses are worn. A lot of things need to be repaired,” said Huntley. “It’s cheaper to get a new [firehouse] than to repair it.”
“The old firehouse is just bad. It’s really too small,” added Pheffer. “This [proposed firehouse] will be a top new facility, and the one thing they’re doing is install solar heating. It’s going to be a Green facility.”
With the state Legislature’s approval, the bill is currently awaiting the governor’s consent. Pheffer remains optimistic that the bill will finally solve the fire department’s problems.
“I’m very excited and happy to facilitate the eventual building of a new firehouse. This money was allocated a long time ago to the city, [which] basically didn’t want to deal with it or a build a new facility,” said Pheffer.
