After years, Lindenhurst fire station will open this spring

By spring, Lindenhurst will have its own fire station, ending 25 years of bad blood between the village and the Lake Villa Fire Protection District.

"Every time I look at that building, I think back to the early days when we were really fighting for it," said James Betustak, former Lindenhurst mayor. "I'll be happy to hear that first siren roll out of there."

Fire protection district Trustee Howard "Bud" Scott said Tuesday that by late March or early April, the station at 1911 Grass Lake Road will be staffed and operating.

The road leading to the new station has been difficult and even included a lawsuit between the village and the fire district.

A study in the early 1980s recommended construction of a station on the eastern edge of growing Lindenhurst.

At that time, the village board offered to donate land along Grand Avenue as well as provide water and sewer service.

The fire district declined and instead bought land west of the village along Grand Avenue and Deep Lake Road, which is now the site of the Lake Villa Rescue Squad.

At the time, district officials said they didn't have the funds to support a fire station in Lindenhurst.

In response, the village filed, and lost, a lawsuit against the district.

A decade later, Lindenhurst leaders proposed another fire station, but it, too, was rejected by the fire district.

Things changed in April 2005, when voters approved a tax increase to pay for personnel and build two fire stations, one in Lindenhurst and a second at Route 59 and Grand Avenue in Lake Villa. The second station has not yet been built.

The district borrowed $4.1 million for the Lindenhurst station. The building itself cost $3.5 million, and the rest of the money was used to purchase equipment and a new pumper truck.

"We worked on that referendum, which was a significant part, and we were able to get a lot done in those few years," Betustak said. "I'm glad to see it finally happening. It is just awesome."

The three-bay station will serve the northeast quadrant of the district. Currently firefighters work out of a building at 63 E. Grand Ave. in Lake Villa and rescue crews are at 910 E. Grand Ave.

Existing staff will likely be used at the new station, Howard said.

While the outside looks complete minus landscaping, Howard said the building still has to be fitted with equipment.

Scott said it feels good to finally have the Lindenhurst station come together.

"This was one of the big promises we made with the referendum," he said. "There is just so much history in this fire department."