And the walls came tumblin’ down
It’s done! The old Meadow Valley Fire Station demolition is complete. The giant new fire station bay doors are wide open and ready for use.
Considerable care and precision were exercised in the deconstruction of the old building. The process took a few days. Visible dismantling of the exterior of the building began July 18 utilizing an “excavator” to tear off the roof. By the time afternoon rolled around, giant cedar beams, previously hidden by the roof, were being pulled from the ceiling. The refuse pile of insulation, metal and wood grew, looking larger than the building from whence it came. A hose of running water was used to keep the dust and maybe the heat down as the temperature skyrocketed. The dismantling continued through the heat of the afternoon with a small crowd of folks and family watching at a safe distance across the street, ready to help in whatever ways were needed.
The following day began with all of the surrounding wood framing gone and just the brick base walls remaining. Those were carefully taken apart, again utilizing the excavator, and added to the pile.
By the next morning the old station was completely dismembered. The destruction machine was then used to sort the remains of metal, wood, insulation and scrap. The cement footing was revealed to be reusable for the new station front landing due to the care taken during disassembly and the construction layout of the old building.
The new Meadow Valley Fire Station now stands ready to serve its community thanks to the volunteer firemen and supporting residents that worked together to bring the new firehouse to life.
For information on how to receive training to become a volunteer fire fighter or member of the support crew in Meadow Valley, call 283-2620, or to lend a hand in any other way. Quincy Fire Department is also in need of firefighters and they can be reached at 283-0870.
