Officials in White County's city of Cleveland have unanimously approved plans to build a new Fire Department station on the site of a former funeral home.
Councilors and City Administrator Kevin Harris said during Monday's council meeting that they will be working with Ron Cantrell Construction Inc. in Cleveland with the demolition of the former Ward's Funeral Home building on the recently purchased parcel at 84 East Underwood Street. Harris adds they will also work with Cantrell Construction on the construction of the new four-bay fire station, complete with office, kitchen, and sleeping quarters. The proposed station is also being designed to include public restrooms that can be accessed by visitors and those using Freedom Park, located next door to the property.
Cleveland Fire Chief Ricky Pruitt told WRWH Radio in Cleveland that his department had input into the building design, saying, “We tried to make it what we know will work out for us rather than taking another department and making it fit our needs. We put requests in what we felt would meet our needs.”
The city's current fire station has been in operation for over 50 years and has seen additions and improvements made during that time, but officials hope to have the new fire station ready by the late spring or early summer of 2025, in time for the arrival of a new ladder fire truck that the city purchased.
