Fire station opens at former school site

Merolla: No added costs with $2.6M Potowomut station

By John Howell
Posted 12/1/15

While the new $2.6 million Potowomut Fire Station was the star of the show Sunday afternoon, it was the brick walkway that captured people’s attention.

It’s no wonder. The walkway contains the …

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Fire station opens at former school site

Merolla: No added costs with $2.6M Potowomut station

Posted

While the new $2.6 million Potowomut Fire Station was the star of the show Sunday afternoon, it was the brick walkway that captured people’s attention.

It’s no wonder. The walkway contains the names of teachers and students who attended the Potowomut School that closed in 2010. And for many, the walkway is a trip down memory lane.

Initially, explained Nina Lusignan, who could be easily spotted with her Potowomut School sweatshirt, bricks from the old school were going to be used for the walkway. But inscribing names on the bricks was problematic, as the aged bricks crumbled.

So the walkway, installed as part of the station construction, is of new bricks. Lusignan said the bricks sell for $30 for the small ones and $40 for the larger ones. Demand has exceeded expectation, and she has orders for an additional 40 to 50 bricks that will be installed as an extension to the walkway.

Information about the walkway and instructions for ordering a brick can be found on the Potowomut Memorial Path Facebook page.

The station, which has been talked about for decades and was included in a bond referendum approved in 2006, opened for operations Monday at 4 p.m. The first call came at 5 p.m. in response to a car accident on Old Forge Road, the chief reported.. The 9,000-square-foot facility, described by one local old-timer Sunday as “luxurious,” has two bays and houses Engine 10, which was relocated from Station 2. Twelve firefighters are stationed at the new facility. The station complies with American Disabilities Act requirements in that rooms – including individual bunkrooms for firefighters – are handicap accessible. In a tour Sunday, Mayor Scott Avedisian noted the wider doorways and ADA-compliant restrooms would enable to station to double as a shelter if needed.

In addition to housing firefighters, the station has a police sub-station and community meeting room that could also serve as an emergency operations center. The playground from the former school remains a neighborhood attraction, and Mayor Avedisian is hopeful soccer groups will use open the field next to the station for practice.

Glenn Ahlborg, vice president of Ahlborg Construction Corporation – which built the station on schedule and under budget – said the decision to make the community room convertible to an EOC came after the project was started. In place of drywall, the room has cinder block walls to provide additional security and raised access flooring to allow for sub-floor computer wiring and connections. Saccoccio and Associates was the architect.

The cost of the station and the fact Potowomut residents will now receive the same level of fire protection provided other city residents were highlighted in Chief Edmund Armstrong’s remarks yesterday.

With the cost of fire protection to the area of Potowomut going up every year, Chief Armstrong said the station would eliminate annual payments to East Greenwich for coverage, which in time would pay for the station.

“This station will be manned by existing manpower and apparatus with no additional cost to the citizens of the city of Warwick,” Armstrong said. Twelve will staff the station, with three on a shift at all times.

The station houses a single engine at this time.

Ward 9 Councilman Steve Merolla likewise emphasized station operations won’t increase the budget and that in fact, as a result of rescue runs to Goddard Park, the department will experience an increase in revenues.

“There aren’t many who can say that you put in a fire station, police station and community room and actually save money,” he said.

Merolla estimated the city would save $400,000 a year with elimination of the East Greenwich contract.

Avedisian thanked Diana Pearson, a resident of the area and chair of the committee that researched uses for the former school property, for taking on the project, and praised Chief Armstrong for his unwavering commitment to see that it was built. Avedisian observed that Armstrong visited the station construction almost daily, and frequently on holidays and weekends.

Armstrong was at the site first thing Sunday morning with a shovel. He personally buried a time capsule near the flagpole containing photographs of the school and the station during construction as well as data about the department. He said the capsule is to be opened on Dec. 1 2045, 30 years from today.

With its meeting room and police substation, Avedisian called the station the “de facto City Hall for Potowomut.”

It will also serve as somewhat of a time machine, thanks to former Potowomut School Principal Ron Areglado. He served as principal for eight years, retiring in 2009. At that time he was given a watercolor of the school, as well as copies of posters from school productions.

“Potowomut is a proud community,” said Areglado to the more than 150 gathered in front of the station yesterday as he handed over the framed items that will be displayed in the station.

As yesterday’s ceremony closed with a cutting of a ribbon, Felicia Celeberto found it remarkable that no speaker said anything about the meaning of Potowomut.

“I can’t believe they didn’t mention that it means land of fires,” she said.

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  • richardcorrente

    This is a $2,600,000 investment that will save almost $400,000 per year in fees saved by not outsourcing our firefighting needs to East Greenwich. Why they didn't offer a reduced price to stop us from breaking ground is baffling to me but in less than 7 years we will get our initial investment back. To all involved, I say "Well, well done!" This project is a real winner for the Warwick Taxpayers.

    Congratulations Fire Chief Armstrong, City Councilman Steve Merolla, and also Glen Ahlborg, VP of Ahlborg Construction, who brought it in ON TIME and ON BUDGET!!! That's a precedent we can all sign on to!

    Merry Christmas to all.

    Richard Corrente

    Democrat for Mayor - 2016

    Wednesday, December 2, 2015 Report this