Groundbreaking ceremony held for new Cathedral City Fire Station
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Thursday morning for the new Cathedral City Fire Station.
Station 411 is expected to be complete and ready for use in October of 2020.
“We’re excited today…we specifically chose this day because it’s National Fire Prevention Week,” said Chief Paul Wilson, Cathedral City Fire Department.
The station will be built at the northwest corner of Buddy Rogers Avenue and Date Palm Drive, right behind the Mary Pickford Theater.
The $8.2 million dollar state-of-the-art project will replace the current outdated fire station and is designed to last for the next 50 years of service.
“The new station is going to provide us a much better opportunity to serve the community in a faster manner,” said Chief Wilson.
It will provide space for a 10-person emergency response crew. “It’s going to be replacing a station that was built in the 1970s,” added Chief Wilson. Another notable change of the times, News Channel 3 was told the new station will have restrooms and sleeping quarters for female firefighters as well.
The area where the old station is located is part of a nearly 13-acre land acquisition by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. That purchase is helping fund the new station and its amenities.
“Through a joint effort with city council we came up with a way to help them get it done by buying the property,” said Jeff Grubbe, Tribal Chairman, Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.
The tribe says they have plans to develop an entertainment center with restaurants and retail in downtown Cathedral City.
“The property across is going to be our casino property and we’re working with the city to upgrade the roads here that need it…the street lights that need it…it’s really a joint effort,” added Grubbe.
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