N. Aurora officials break ground on new police station

North Aurora dignitaries wielding gold-painted shovels turned the first bits of earth - actually, gravel - for the village's new police station.

The $10 million facility is being built on a former parking lot for an off-track betting parlor on the west side of Route 31, at Airport Road.

Village President Dale Berman noted it is the second time he's broken ground on a new police department facility, the first being 20 years ago when the department was added on to village hall.

"It's a really exciting development for us," Berman said. "It's been a long time in coming."

Construction of the 25,000-square foot facility is expected to finish by the fall of 2010. It will replace the department's current 4,600-square-feet station built when the village was a third of its current size.

When the police department moves out next year, their former quarters likely will become part of village hall.

"We're really anxious for the police department to get out of there, so we can have some more room," Berman said, drawing laughs from village employees.

Berman noted he's been spending more time at village hall lately now that he also is performing the duties of village administrator, after the board fired former administrator Sue McLaughlin in May.