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New Eagle Point fire station in works The fire chief will show plans for the building to a city panel on Tuesday By MEG LANDERS EAGLE POINT - Loto Street may be home to a new fire station by fall. Fire District 3 Chief Randy Iverson will present plans for the $1.3 million, 6,425-square-foot station at a public hearing before the Planning Commission at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall. The station would be at 213 Loto St., the site of a house that was moved last month. The new building will replace the old volunteer fire station on Main Street. Eagle Point was served by a volunteer fire department until a year ago. In March 2001, voters agreed to join Fire District 3, which also serves White City and Central Point. Designed by Peck Smiley Ettlin Architects in Portland, the building will be one of seven Fire District 3 stations. "Essentially, it's a replacement for the old volunteer fire station," said Iverson. Plans include sleeping quarters for six, a small classroom, an exercise room, and day room, a kitchen, an office, a cleaning room and two apparatus bays which could house four rigs. The department has ordered a new $240,000 fire engine, which it expects in April or May. "A functional fire station has a lot of facilities that a house does, with a really large garage," said Iverson. After the station is complete, the next step is working toward hiring employees, Iverson said. "It'll be volunteer initially and then we hope to increase our staffing over the next couple years," he said. Dave Freel, one of the owners of Eagle Cove Assisted Living, said he's glad the new station will be next to the retirement center. "(We) don't have close proximity to medical facilities," he said, adding that he likes the notion of having emergency medical technicians next door. Iverson agrees that it's a good location. "It's by far our number one call, going to that facility," he said. Iverson said he does not anticipate problems getting the city's approval of the plan, and said the new station will greatly benefit the community. "It's a big deal," he said. "It really helps our ability to provide service." The fire station isn't the only change coming to Loto Street. "Loto's going to really look different," said Gary Shipley, public works director. Here are some of the projects in the works: The City Council agreed Tuesday to build a new bridge across Little Butte Creek at Loto Street, rather than at Main Street, which will increase Loto Street traffic. Eagle Cove Assisted Living will begin its expansion in the next several weeks, adding a 16-unit wing. Construction will begin on a 3,800-square-foot medical clinic, open to the public, next to Eagle Cove in the next couple weeks. The city is reviewing an engineer's study concerning altering Loto's intersection with Linn Road and Buchanan Avenue. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.