WORK COMMENCED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27504, 26 September 1950, Page 4

WORK COMMENCED

New Roslyn Fire Brigade Station

As the first phase of the Dunedin Metropolitan Fire Board’s long* term development scheme for augmented fire services in the Dunedin area, contractors began work yesterday on clearing the site at the corner of City road and Highgate for the new fire station. The job is estimated to take about two years. The board’s plan envisages a.new station at Lookout Point, a modem station at South Dunedin and also a new station to serve North Dunedin’s needs.

The first task on the Roslyn project will be the demolition of an old wooden house which has been standing between the fire station and the grocer’s shop since 1927, when it was erected there in sections. The fire brigade officer who occupied the house shifted to the Central station only yesterday morning, and the actual demolition work should be carried out this week. The contractors, Mitchell Brothers, are building a fence along the footpath to give the workmen sufficient room. The new station, which will have reinforced concrete frames with brick facings, will extend on a curved frontage for 128 feet between the telephone exchange and the grocer’s shop. Because of the sheer drop in the ground,'

deep foundations will have to be constructed. The foundations at the rear of the station will be 26 feet below the Highgate footpath. The building will consist of two storeys at the front and four at the back. The accommodation for brigadesmen will be in the form of selfcontained flats providing living quarters for six married men and five single men. The station is planned for the operation of two machines. A roomy basement for storage purposes is planned, and the station officers will have the use of a social hall upstairs. The construction of the station will be so arranged that an engine will be operating continuously in the Roslyn area. The architects engaged by the board were Mandeno, Fraser and Galbraith.