Peninsula Township considers new fire station

Peninsula Township is pursuing plans to replace its main fire station – Station 1 in Mapleton next to Peninsula Market – with a new one on the township property just north of the township hall on Center Road. Trustees recently unanimously approved architectural and site contracts for the new station, which is estimated to cost $8 million. Chief Fred Gilstorff said it will provide ample space for firefighter training and housing, public meeting and emergency shelters, and ADA-compliant and energy-efficient facilities.

Station 1 — built in 1946 and expanded in 1981 — has “significant damage” throughout the building, according to Gilstorff, including cracks in walls and floors and problems with plumbing and heating systems. It does not meet ADA standards, nor is it energy efficient, he said. The station does not have adequate space for staff, equipment or training — which Gilstorff said is a safety and morale issue because staff are crammed into a “box” — and is in the collapse zone of a tower and power lines. Station 1 was built when firefighters were mostly volunteers and no full-time staff lived on site. The fire chief said hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment is often left outdoors because the facility is so cramped that it takes too long to carefully wheel it in and out in an emergency.

Both Gilstorff and previous chiefs had discussed the need to replace Station 1 for years, he said. But construction of Station 3 – which took place in 2020 near the corner of Center and Swaney roads – was a top priority to ensure northern Old Mission residents had adequate services. With that project completed, Gilstorff said, it was now time to focus on Station 1.

“This is not a new problem,” he said. “I think now is the time to address it … to provide for our fire department and give us the ability to take care of our citizens.” Gilstorff said the current property in Mapleton is too small to accommodate the type of long-term facility the fire department needs, adding that trying to modify or upgrade the existing building would just be a “Band-Aid” on the problem.

Gilstorff spent two years looking for a site before deciding on the township land directly north of the township hall as the best solution. The site would have shared curb cuts, parking and public access between the township hall and the fire station, which the fire chief said would be more convenient for residents. The new station would also have space for township police officers from the Grand Traverse Sheriff’s Office who work at Old Mission.

Architect Ray Kendra of Environment Architects said a training room/community meeting room could accommodate up to 175-200 people. This space could be used as additional meeting space for the community center or as housing for residents in case of emergency. Kendra, who designed Ward 3, said the new Ward 1 will feature a similar aesthetic and energy-efficient design components will be considered.

“This building will be here for 50, 60 years and will serve this community,” Gilstorff said. “We put a lot of thought into it and tried to make it as futuristic as possible so it covers everything.”

Township administrators were enthusiastic about the proposal. Township Administrator Rudy Rudolph pointed out that most townships are laid out in a 10-kilometer square that could easily centralize a fire station, but Peninsula Township is unique with its “long and narrow” geography. “That puts us in a situation where we need multiple manned stations,” he said. Peninsula Township also has an aging population that “requires more medical resources than many other places,” he said.

The high cost of housing means the township needs sufficient on-site housing to accommodate the career firefighters who commute to and live at the stations during their shifts, which sometimes span multiple days, Rudolph said. Trustee Dave Sanger agreed. “This is really a place to live, not (just) a place to work,” he said. “We need that.” Township Clerk Becky Chown expressed concerns about the number of trees that would need to be cleared, but was pleased with Kendra’s response that the team will preserve as many trees as possible and plant new ones to replace those removed.

The new station is estimated to cost $8 million, but Kendra cautioned, “Until you get the bids, you don’t know what the actual numbers are.” Gilstorff said he is exploring several financing options, including conventional mortgages and surety bonds that would allow the fire department to amortize construction costs over 20 to 25 years. Financing will likely involve an increase in the fire department’s tax rate, which is currently 2.6 per thousand, he said. He estimated that could be increased by as much as 0.5 per thousand – bringing the total to 3.1 per thousand – although Trustee Maura Saunders said Peninsula Township could likely cover a significant portion of the project costs by selling the existing Station 1 property.

Councillors unanimously approved the next phase of the project, including a $203,749.88 contract with Environment Architects for architectural/project management services and a $55,000 contract with Gourdie Fraser for site work. The next steps include submitting a special use permit (SEP) application to the township’s planning commission, obtaining construction bids and submitting those bids to council for approval. Gilstorff estimates the final step could come in the spring, meaning construction on the new Station 1 could begin next May or June.