New Wallkill Firehouse

Cass Sozio, Staff Writer

The Wallkill Fire District has proposed a 17,500 square foot site across from John G.

Borden Middle School to be used as a more efficient fire service. At the Shawangunk Town

Board meeting on December 6, commissioners Michael Croce and Rich Freer explained the

tentative plan of the fire house project that may only be implemented if the public vote is

concordant with the arrangement.

The projected two-story building will add character to the hamlet in accordance from the

request of former property owners, the Donner family. It is expected to cost $5,582,469 in

borrowed funds to construct. It will be a much needed five-bay firehouse and provide additional

overflow parking for events at the middle school. The council voted to extend water and sewer

service to the site if it’s eventually built in March.

Croce continued to disclose information about the current outdated facility. He described

the inadequate truck bays, tight spaces, water damage, and many other additional problems. “We

don’t really have any office space or rooms for meetings. In today’s day and age, in any

volunteer organization, whether it’s ambulance or fire, it’s difficult to get members. One of the

things that’s come up in a study is that a place to go gather is important for persons that join and

we don’t really have a good spot to do that. We don’t have any record storage space, we’re

renting that right now. We don’t have storage space for supplies for our bingo and other

community functions,” says Croce.

If the fire department successfully gains the voters’ approval and acts on their plans, it

could benefit the police department as well. It was suggested that Shawangunk could purchase

the old firehouse and renovate it into a new police station. It would be convenient since the court

is right nearby.