Last weekend was the opening of the new $10.2 million Manlius Fire Department station on the corner of Enders and Cazenovia roads. The 24,000-square-foot, one-story building is nice and provides a replacement to the two older stations, which was in need of many repairs and updates to bring them up to regulations.
The new facilities are impressive, with the large size allowing for more space for EMS and fire fighting training, more space for bunks for firefighters and for Onondaga Community College fire protection program students, a new community room which can be used as the location for events by residents and organizations, and even a day room with a tv area and card table for members’ down time.
This project has been in the works for a decade — and the criticisms that have dogged it all those years exploded again after this past weekend’s open house event. Online comments about the new station have criticized its size, location, price tag and furniture and appliances, among numerous other things.
This project wasn’t completed in a rush, and over the past decade every aspect and detail was considered and studied by a committee who was looking into the best options for the Manlius Fire Department to update their facilities. This new station shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, and a referendum vote was held in 2015 and ultimately the project was approved.
However, it is only fair to say that, while the new building looks immense, the square footage is less than the two old stations combined, according to Manlius Volunteer Fire Company President David Hasse. Also, while the $10.8 million price tag has been attacked as excessive, the cost of construction was, in fact, $500,000 less than the original bond amount approved by voters, showing that the village of Manlius did a good job in its budgeting.
People who live in the Manlius Fire District, but not in the village, did not get to vote on the referendum, and it’s understandable they felt left out of a decision that would increase their taxes. However, the measure passed and the station was built — and look what they have created. They have given Manlius residents a state-of-the-art fire station, more user-friendly to the department and more centrally located, that will continue to offer fire protection services to households and businesses in the entire of the district. If money was going to be spent on such a project, updating old facilities, it makes sense to do it right. And Manlius certainly has done that.
