By Stan Welch
The wet cold winter has slowed a number of construction projects in the area, including the Powdersville YMCA facility, and the Wren Fire Department Station 24. According to an onsite crew chief at the Y, work has been slowed by the weather, but facility should still open sometime in July as projected. Future forecasts for warmer, drier weather for the next week or so have given cause for optimism. Roebuck Buildings, of Spartanburg, expects to regain lost time and meet the original construction schedule.
The Wren Fire Department Station 24 is in use, though there are some loose ends to be tied up. The old station, built in 1974 was finally demolished last week, once the new station was far enough along to run the trucks out of.
Bruce Brooks, a construction supervisor for Sinclair & Associates, as well as a member of the department for twenty six years, and a former chief for fifteen, is hoping for good weather so that the stations front and back parking lots can be paved. Currently, trucks are being dispatched out the back doors, since the front apron is still muddy and the driveway is not complete.
Still, the new building is a tremendous improvement, with significantly more room and improved facilities. There are two floors, and drive through bays in the new 8000 square foot facility. There is a large training room area, a top flight exercise and workout room, a large kitchen, and a firemen’s room upstairs. That room is called the DonDon room, after Don Chastain, the last charter member of the department, who passed away a couple of years ago. His son, Kevin Chastain currently serves as chief.
“We’ve really been overdue for a new station, and there are a lot of companies that really contributed goods and services, or offered really good discounts, to help us get this done,” said Brooks. “It just makes us all proud of the community we serve to see that kind of support.”
Among those who contributed are Pyramid Construction, Inc. (building contractors), Joe W. Hiller, Jr. (architect), Bishop-Mays, Inc. (sitework) Sinclair & Associates (construction management, surveying), Carolina Alliance Bank, Wren Fire Department Building Fund (lending institutions).
