Thompsonville Fire Department Planning New Public Safety Building

Hartford Courant

3/31/09

ENFIELD - The Thompsonville Fire Department hopes to have plans and town permits in place by June in order to qualify for federal stimulus funding toward new public safety buildings, fire officials said Monday.

"We're focusing on the importance of 'shovel ready,'" said Chief Frank Alaimo.

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd, toured the station Monday, and said $210 million in newly available grants will be handed out in June after a rigorous application process.

"It's going to be a competitive process," Courtney said, but "I think they've got a strong argument to make."

The fire department hopes to build a new station on the corner of Pearl and Asnuntuck streets to replace the aging and cramped building that was built using federal money in 1941.

"We can be shovel ready [by June]," said David Ross, a New York architect hired by the department.