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As Ankeny expands, so does the need for public works facilities.Hence the groundbreaking for the city’s second fire station on the south side of town on Oralabor Road, about one-half mile west of Delaware Avenue.

“The reason we positioned that building in the southeast quadrant of town is because that is the busiest area for EMS (emergency medical services) calls, especially because it is close to the interstate,” said Jim Spradling, Ankeny’s assistant city manager.

Workers broke ground on a two-acre parcel of land Oct. 10 for the facility, which received funding through a city bond referendum that was approved in May 2006. The referendum also included money for an expansion to the existing central fire station and a new police station.

“The focus of the new station is to reduce response times in their calls for service, and as Ankeny grows, the distances from the headquarters to these areas of traffic get lengthened, and the fire station being right there will reduce those response times,” said Tim Moerman, Ankeny’s director of economic development.

When complete, the second fire station will have cost the city approximately $4 million, which includes construction, architectural design and other costs. Spradling said the cost of the structure alone is estimated at about $2.8 million.

Additionally, the 12,260-square-foot fire station will have three apparatus bays, which will eventually hold an ambulance and an engine company. Initially, however, it will only provide emergency medical service and have just two people on duty at any given time, Spradling said, with plans to eventually increase the staffing level to six people at all times.

The station will also have a day-room for workers to read, study, or watch television in, a training/conference room, sleeping quarters and a kitchen. Spradling also said the facility will serve as a satellite police station, with a reporting/interview room in the front of the building that will be used by the police department.

Spradling said the design of the new facility incorporates “green” practices by using geothermal heating and cooling, and by having two bioretention cells on site.

“We went through an energy assistance program to help design the building for lighting, heating and cooling and anything that conserves energy,” Spradling said.

The new fire station marks the last of the city’s public works money for now, but Spradling said the next step for the Public Works Department would probably be securing a few acres on the north side of town for a third fire station in the future.