A groundbreaking ceremony was held Monday morning at the Gordonsville Volunteer Fire Company.
The ceremony marked the beginning of construction on the circa 1983 firehouse building which is being updated and expanded to meet current and future needs of the company. The $3.3 million expansion includes approximately 4,000 square feet of operational space including eight duty rooms, a study room, bathrooms, locker room, fitness area, a dayroom, kitchen and a new apparatus bay along with 1,200 square feet of renovated space including an office, laundry room, compressor room and an equipment room. The project is designed to accommodate current volunteers and future staffing needs including EMS capabilities. Dedicated space will be made available to operate an EMS unit out of the building, something the county is seeking grant funding for.
The project is expected to take nine months to complete and is 100% funded. Chief John Chiles said the company’s members undertook a strategic planning process in 2022 with input from community leaders, residents and business owners to determine where the company would need to be in the future and how to get there.
“The building needed to change to accommodate the goals,” he said.
According to treasurer Jeremiah Hartley, the company worked with UVa Community Credit Union, Davenport and Company and Lohr and Company to develop a financial strategy and a creative funding approach to fund the project. Having it fully funded is a tremendous achievement for the 100% volunteer organization, Hartley said.
In addition to providing new and renovated space, Chiles said the improvements will strengthen recruitment, improve cancer prevention and meet the community’s needs for years to come.
“More than a century ago, the company came together for the community,” he said, referencing the company’s creation after a January fire. “This is building for the future.”
Chiles recognized two members who passed away before the project could become a reality–John Beasley and William Fitzgerald. He also recognized current member Garnett Taylor who will celebrate 70 years with the company in November and helped build the current facility.
