Plans move forward for new fire station, library, event center in Hartselle
City officials met April 4 to begin finalizing plans for Hartselle’s new fire station, library and event center. The projects will be funded with the remainder of a $14.5 million bond issue with individual budgets being determined after the projects are bid, according to city officials.
Once construction plans are in place, bidding is tentatively set to begin in mid-April, with groundbreaking anticipated by mid-summer.
“I am thinking a year for construction,” Mayor Randy Garrison said.
Hartselle needs a new fire station due to a lack of space at the current Station 1. Originally designed to house one firefighter overnight, it now accommodates four as the community grows.
The new station, to be built off Shull Road, will have space for eight firefighters, allowing for future expansion. It will also house the department’s new ladder truck, which will have difficulty entering the current station.
Courtesy photo/City of Hartselle
A rendering shows the future fire station to be built off Shull Road in Hartselle.
Once Station 1 is completed, Station 2 will temporarily relocate there while undergoing renovations.
The William Bradford Huie Library will nearly double in size, expanding from 4,000 to 7,800 square feet. The library is currently housed in a former bank building, but the new facility will be designed specifically as a library, allowing for expanded services.
With additional space, city leaders hope to offer more resources to the community. The library currently has computers for public use, and plans call for expanding access to technology, as well as space for visitors to relax, read a book or magazine and enjoy the space.
Garrison said he envisions the library providing more than “just books.” “We hope to have expanded hours and possibly Saturdays, but we can’t do that with the current staffing,” he said. As services grow, additional staff will be needed.
Additionally, an event center will be constructed, adjoining the new library. Hartselle currently does not have such a facility, and the space will be available for the community.
The goal is to create a “gathering space,” Garrison said, that can be used for chamber of commerce events, meetings, gatherings, weddings, receptions and other social events.
The library and event center will be built on Sparkman Street, on land donated by Huntsville Hospital, the former site of the Hartselle Medical Center. The land is valued at $500,000.
