By Kath Gannaway
A 10-YEAR campaign for a new fire station has finally paid off for Badger Creek CFA volunteers.
The State Government announced last week Badger Creek was included in a $33.6 million package to build or upgrade 16 CFA stations across the state, should the government be re-elected on 25 November.
Reefton, Warburton and Christmas Hills brigades are also on a promise.
Ben Hardman, Member for Seymour, personally delivered the good news to Badger Creek CFA captain Nic Rodway, and secretary Peter Broman last Wednesday.
Mr Hardman said the brigade had presented a strong case for a new station at the Community Cabinet meeting held in Yarra Glen in July.
“They have an enormous job to do in protecting valuable community assets such as Healesville Sanctuary, the local primary school, housing estates and rural properties, and deserve the very best facilities,” Mr Hardman said.
“It’s vital our dedicated and hard-working emergency services personnel, such as the Badger Creek fire brigade, have the facilities they need to do their jobs properly.
“With its superior facilities, this new station will make members’ working lives just that little bit easier, helping them deliver an even better service to the local community.”
Cpt Rodway said the announcement would be welcomed by brigade members who had endured cramped conditions for too long.
Hopes were raised in 2000 when the CFA promised a new station would be built in the 2002/03 financial year. The Lions Club of Healesville came to the rescue when those plans fell through, donating $4000 to the brigade to build a second shed to house one of the brigade’s two fire trucks.
Facilities for brigade members remained unsatisfactory, however, with a cramped meeting room and only a portable toilet for male and female volunteers.
Mr Broman said the CFA had drawn up plans for a new station but it would not be built until 2012.
While Mr Hardman was reluctant to put a figure on the project, he said Badger Creek would get a purpose-built station and it would be built within the next term of government.
