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Fire Station No . 1 Opens in Downtown Arlington
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The projects selected to receive funding in 2024 are :
La Frontera Homeowners Association , Inc . - $ 20,060 for La Frontera playground improvement ; Inniswood Owners Association , Inc . - $ 17,480 for California Lane fence replacement and landscaping ; Clubview Addition ( with the Arlington Sculpture Garden Foundation ) - $ 25,000 for Meadowbrook Park Sculpture Garden addition ; Cantor Park Condominiums Homeowners Association , Inc . - $ 15,120 for landscaping improvements .
Click here to learn more about the Neighborhood Matching Grant program . The next grant cycle will open in August 2024 .
Fire Station No . 1 Opens in Downtown Arlington
The voter-approved Fire Station No . 1 is officially open in Downtown Arlington .
Dozens of city and community leaders , Arlington Fire Department staff and residents gathered on December 8 , 2023 , for the opening ceremony , which included remarks from Arlington Mayor Jim Ross , Arlington Fire Chief Bret Stidham , District 6 City Council Representative Long Pham and Downtown Arlington Management Corporation President and CEO Maggie Campbell . The ceremony at 401 W . Main St . also included participants pushing Engine 1 out of its bay to cut the ribbon , as well as the ringing of the fire department bell and the raising of the station ’ s flag to signify the building was officially open for service .
“ This day signifies not only the culmination of countless hours of hard work and the unwavering commitment from our firefighters and the entire community , this is also a significant step in our ongoing mission to keep this city safe ,” Chief Stidham said . “ Our community is the heart and soul of our town . It is the people within it that make Arlington truly special . This new fire station is not just a building , but a testament to the values and priorities of our community .”
The City broke ground on the more modern , more efficient Downtown fire station in March 2022 . The twostory , 17,667-square-foot station replaces the previous Fire Station No . 1 , which originally opened in 1954 and had gone through various remodels over the decades . The new facility , approved by voters as part of the 2014 Bond Program , is designed to provide a better work and living space for Arlington ’ s firefighters . Features include five larger , drive-thru apparatus bays that can hold more equipment , training areas and indoor and outdoor kennels for the Fire Department ’ s K9 Unit , a full kitchen and a dining room , and various offices .
“ Taking care of the first responders in Arlington is critical to our moving forward as a City . Not just in being able to take care of the men and women who work as firefighters or police officers , not just making sure they enjoy what they are doing , and that we are taking care of them pay-wise ,” Mayor Ross said . “ But also making sure the businesses and residents know that they are safe in this community , that their neighborhoods are safe and protected from fires and crime .”
Living quarters for the station ’ s three shift crews , who each spend 24 hours working from the Downtown station , were also improved . The second story of the new station offers 12 private dorm rooms and separate men ’ s and women ’ s bathrooms with showers .
Arlington Fire Station No . 1
The station also includes a public space for community events and meetings as well as a museum area where residents can learn about the Arlington Fire Department ’ s history and accomplishments and see historical items up close , such as an antique fire truck .
Additionally , the new station ’ s design includes several energy-saving features , such as Low-E windows with a solar ban coating , a mechanical system with variable refrigerant volume , low-flow plumbing fixtures , and native landscaping that requires minimal irrigation systems .
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