Fire Hall rebuilt in Rapid City

Details

Published on Friday, November 21, 2014

The official ribbon cutting in Rapid City.

By Sheila Runions

      Banner Staff

Thirteen months after fire leveled the Town of Rapid City civic office and attached two-bay fire hall, a grand opening ceremony was held for a new building. 

The Oct. 21, 2013 non-supsicious electrical fire destroyed all files, furnishings, computers and two fire trucks; insurance of $204,000 was paid for the building and its contents. Early this year, Rapid City’s town council reviewed 12 tenders and accepted that of local contractor CL van Veen Carpentry, to build a 4,800 square-foot building for $294,825. To date, cost has been $350,000, which includes site preparation, water and sewer, etc.

CL began work on June 1; owner Leo van Veen and his two employees (Justin Bos and Anko Sweep) completed their work in mid-October. Leo brought in other Rapid City businesses: In & Out Eavestroughing, Jeannie’s Interiors and Current Electric (a Brandon business owned by Rapid City born-and-raised Clint Waldon). 

The four-bay fire hall includes room for expansion; it currently shelters three vehicles. The 21-member fire department appreciates the extra space for training sessions and will enjoy the in-floor heat of the concrete slab. Although 100 by 48 feet, 768 square feet are for a bathroom, office and community room. The hall itself is complete (though lockers, drying racks, etc. must be added) but flooring and furnishings are needed for the non-hall space.

On Nov. 15, 2014 Mayor Orest Woloski welcomed a sizeable crowd to “this very, very happy occasion. After the devastation across the road, most people said ‘What do we do now?’ and here we are. TransCanada Pipeline was the first to send money; they gave us $50,000. That’s the kind of friend and neighbour you need when you’re in despair. Westoba called me — we don’t bank with them — and they offered five years interest-free for however much money we needed (we didn’t need any); that was a tremendous gesture. Nevin Farms [located six kilometres east of Rapid City near Jct. 24 and 10] said they were going to make a ‘small donation to the fire hall’; it was $10,000! We had endless amounts of support from countless mayors asking how their town can help us. I’ve had 100 per cent support from each town councillor; there’s been no fighting, just great co-operation to put this building together. We had phone call after phone call to volunteer; it’s heartwarming to live in a country where people still care.”

Firefighter Darryl Andrew has served the department for so long he can’t even remember; he guesses 28 years. He shared some memories dating back to “the ’70s when we had a tanker and pumper. Then Winnipeg decided we shouldn’t hang off the back of trucks because we might have an accident, so every fire department needed a rescue wagon. Then we had three trucks and a two-bay hall; with the loss of our hall last year it forced us to upgrade immediately. We had radios, hoses, turnout gear, and a pumper received, so our department was up and running quick. We don’t respond to many fires anymore — which is a good thing! — mostly it’s accidents on Hwy. 10 or rural roads.” He mentioned the 11 fire departments and two EMS groups which loaned or donated equipment to them immediately after their fire. Andrews and all department members gave the audience a round of applause “as our thanks for getting our new home ready.”

Before the “ribbon” (plastic yellow “Caution” tape which commonly borders construction sites, accidents, fire scenes, etc.) cutting, Chief Morley Cornish was presented two paintings from Rapid City Nursery School and a plaque from Rocky Mountain Phoenix, their fire equipment supplier. Nursery children made a fingerprint background for a picture of one fire truck, and finger smeared the canvas for a prayer: Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers, but to be fearless facing them.

Among the 100+ people attending the grand opening were firefighters from Rivers, Oak River, Minnedosa, Erickson, Sandy Lake, Newdale and Glenboro, all of which provided some assistance to Rapid City to outfit the department.