Ottawa tabs new fire stations design firm

The Ottawa City Council on Tuesday approved the cost of design work for the new fire stations on East McKinley Road and on Dayton Road.

The agreement retains FGM Architects of Chicago to do the design for Station 2, the replacement for an outdated station near East McKinley Road that was deemed by Commissioner Tom Ganiere as “inefficient” and “does not meet the needs of the fire department” and Station 3, a new structure which will be located at the northwest corner of Dayton and Seminole roads.

The former, Ganiere said, will be paid for likely through a loan from the USDA, which has a long-term financing program available that allows for up to 35 years.

The latter, he added, will be paid for in large part by a $1 million Community Project Funding program grant issued to the city by U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, on March 11. The Ottawa project was one of 14 projects selected by Underwood.

The Ottawa project was sought in response to the closings of the hospital in Peru, which has since reopened but at the time threatened to slow the Ottawa Fire Department response times, and possibly endanger citizens and businesses in emergency situations.

“We bought that (Station 2) property approximately eight years ago for the specific purpose of building a new South Side fire station,” Ganiere said. “It’s nice to see that the plans are moving along.”

Ganiere estimated the design work will take six to nine months to complete, after which the project will be put out for bid for an additional two to three months.

“Hopefully, by the end of next summer, I would like to see construction start,” he said, “but you know how things go. It may not start until the following spring.”

The commissioner admitted to having “no idea” what the total cost might be, but did say one new station might run in the neighborhood of $7 million.

In other OFD matters, the council approved a payment of $12,514 to AEC Fire-Safety and Security of Springfield for firefighting tools.

It also approved the cost of $20,569 to replace the engine on one of the city’s ambulances.

The council also approved the quote of $80,747 from Nu-Toys Leisure Products for the Peck Park resurfacing and improvement program and $18,615 from Doty & Sons Concrete Products. The latter consists of concrete game including ping pong, checkerboard and bag toss.

Also, ordinances endorsing five tax increment financing districts were approved: the North-I-80, the Ottawa U.S. Route 6 East, the Ottawa Canal, the Ottawa Dayton Industrial and the YMCA Canal.

Mayor Robb Hasty said the TIFs “came down to the wire” but have passed through state House of Representative and Senate committees in Springfield and are waiting on the governor’s desk for his signature.

“Thanks to all involved for getting this done,” Hasty said. “We’re already seeing the potential benefits with things we’re working on at the riverfront, so thanks to everyone.”