Bond on November ballot would pay for new Mount Vernon fire station
A public safety bond on November’s ballot would pay for renovations or replacements for various police and fire facilities across Fairfax County, including the Mount Vernon fire station on Sherwood Hall Lane.
A new video released by the Fairfax Fire and Rescue Department outlines fire department-related needs that $73 million of the $182 million bond will pay for. The video notes the ages and shortcomings of the five stations slated for renovations. The Mount Vernon station, which was built in 1969, is one of the oldest and busiest in the county, according to the video. Replacing it would cost $16 million.
“The station needs major building systems replaced,” the video says. “Apparatus bays are undersized, bunk rooms and locker facilities for female personnel should be enhanced, and space is needed for support functions.”
The video also points out that the station serves the Richmond Highway corridor, which is projected to see major growth in the coming decades as outlined in the Embark Richmond Highway plan.
“A renovated, expanded or replaced fire station would have capacity to add emergency responders and apparatus to increased service demand from projected population growth,” the video says.
The other stations that would be aided by the bond are Gunston (Lorton), Fairview (Fairfax Station), Seven Corners (Falls Church) and an unspecified volunteer station.
The police department would use $59 million from the bond to renovate and upgrade the Mason district police station, the 58-year-old Police Evidence Storage Annex, and the Criminal Justice Academy in Chantilly.
Another $50 million would go towards various courthouse and detention center upgrades.
The county’s full explanation for the bond measure can be seen here and here.
A 2015 bond secured funding for new Penn Daw and Woodlawn fire stations. Construction on the new Woodlawn station, which will be built next to the current station, is slated to begin in spring 2019. The Penn Daw station is currently in the design phase, and no renderings of what it will look like have been released yet.
A rendering of the Woodlawn fire station. (Fairfax County image)
Yeah. I support this. Where were they when my house nearly burned down in 2013. Thanks Penn Daw coming to our rescue
I have a question for the readers because I want to understand this. Why do we need to use a bond in order to fund these type of projects? Why can’t they allocate tax payer dollars? These bonds come with interest. I would like them to detail how of tax dollars are being spent.