Blagojevich Administration Opens New Fire Station at Sparta Armory

SPARTA - Leaders from Governor Rod R. Blagojevich's administration today held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the new fire station at the Sparta Armory that will house two Illinois Army National Guard fire fighting teams and their equipment.  Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard, Maj. Gen. William L. Enyart, and Capital Development Board Executive Director Jim Riemer participated in the ceremony.

 

"This new fire station will help these men and women improve their skills and better serve the state and our nation," said Governor Blagojevich. "It is important that our military servicemen and women have the best possible equipment and training at their disposal, and I am happy to see this new station open its doors."

 

The $2.1 million, 9,130 square foot fire station was built by the State using federal funds.  The building includes four fire fighting equipment bays, administrative and support areas, a 3,127 square yard secured parking area and access drive, a 546 square yard public parking area, landscaping, and a 400 square foot metal storage building.

 

The new fire station will be home to the Illinois National Guard's 661st and 662nd Fire Fighting Teams and give them a modern facility to store, train with and stage their equipment in preparation to respond to local, state and federal emergencies.

 

"I am very pleased to cut the ribbon and officially open this very important project for the Illinois Army National Guard," said Maj. Gen. William Enyart, Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard.  "The soldiers of the 661st and 662nd Fire Fighting Teams now have a state-of-the-art facility to hone their soldier skills for both state and federal missions.  This new facility will be a critical readiness platform for our soldiers and help them successfully carry out our mission and will add to the homeland defense capability of the Illinois National Guard."

      

The construction project was overseen by the Capital Development Board (CDB), which administers all state facility construction projects, and was bid in June 2007.  The contractors included:  General contractor, Plocher Construction Company, Inc., Highland; plumbing, Haury Plumbing and Heating, Inc., Sparta; ventilation, Bel-O Sales and Service, Inc., Belleville; and electrical, Colombo Electric, Inc., Herrin.  The project designer was Architechniques Ltd., Herrin.

 

"I am pleased with the job our contractors have done on the Sparta Armory Fire Station," said CDB Executive Director Jim Riemer, a U.S. Army veteran who was wounded in action in Vietnam.  "At CDB we are always proud to be involved in projects that benefit our fighting men and women, and this project is a great example of that."