Wheeling looks again for spot for new fire station

Wheeling will have three fire stations in town after the village hall project is complete, but it won't come about in quite the way the board originally imagined.

A new fire station will be built on Dundee Road, but land on Milwaukee Avenue for another station is no longer available, Village Manager Mark Rooney said.

So, instead of vacating the current station connected to village hall at 255 W. Dundee Road to make room for an expanded police department, the fire department will have to make do for now with a smaller substation there.

The police department will still expand, Rooney said, but a smaller version of the fire department will stick around until another location becomes available.

Rooney said the $3.2 million that was laid out to buy land for the second fire station will go toward renovating the police building, including new locker rooms and a pistol range.

The total project, which includes building a village hall, renovating the public works building, overhauling the police department and two new fire stations, will cost about $35 million.

The board this week also discussed the senior center, which could move its services to the park district instead of remaining at the Pavilion at 199 N. First St. The village would still run the senior programs.

Trustee Ken Brady said he was disappointed the public works building was taking precedence over the senior center.

"How many times do we have to promise the seniors that we will build a new facility?" he said.

The board agreed to push discussions with the park district on the senior center while also pursuing the option of remaining and expanding its current site.

Village hall project

$35 million project includes new village hall and fire station, plus renovations to police and public works facilities.

• New village hall being built adjacent to current one at 255 W. Dundee Road.

• When village staff moves into new hall, police department will expand into old village hall.

• Fire department will build third station at 911 W. Dundee Road.

• Proposal for new fire station on Milwaukee Avenue scrapped; search for new site under way. Small part of fire department to remain at 255 W. Dundee Road and share space with police.