Bristol Investing in New Public Safety Building
April 19, 2022 6:14 amAt our recent Town Meeting, the voters in the Town of Bristol voted to approve a new public safety building to house both the Bristol Fire Department and Bristol Police Department. This new development will improve the functional capacity of both departments while supporting collaboration between Bristol fire and police.
The vote is another step Bristol is taking in preparing our town for the future, investing in infrastructure and ensuring residents have access to great services. Economic development starts with a safe community, and this project is building on the investment made in our fantastic Fire and Police departments, who have worked for a long time in less than ideal conditions. To fully understand the work they do for the community, check out the Fire Department and Police Department’s Facebook pages.
And here’s some information about the project.
The Old and New Public Safety Building
Both departments presented compelling reasons for the town to invest in a new building at the March Town Meeting. The Fire Department’s current facility is outdated and low on space and structurally compromised. Built in 1974, it merged with the EMS services in 2000. The result was a cramped situation. The apparatus has major spacing limitations today, dictating the town’s ability to invest in new vehicles that serve purpose rather than space. As the needs of the town evolved and continue to evolve, it was clear the current location would have limited ability to host renovations.
The current Police Department building was initially established as a town hall, police department and courthouse, and was not designed for modern police operations. Police Chief James McIntire noted major inefficiencies in the space, along with accessibility and structural issues.
The new public safety building will be built in the same spot as where the current Bristol Police Department stands. Groen Construction will construct the project, which is designed to be energy efficient. The total cost of the project to the town is roughly $5 million.
Investing in Bristol
As noted, the new public safety building is the most recent step the people of Bristol have taken to ensure the town is well equipped to provide services and meets the needs of our residents in the coming decades. The town built a Town Office Building in the downtown three years ago and rehabilitated our Town Hall, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Bristol also voted a couple years ago at Town Meeting to make improvements to the town sewer system, and last year launched upgraded broadband internet service to the town, in collaboration with Internet Service Provider Hub 66. Upgrades to public parks, sidewalks, trails and other local amenities are either complete or underway.
For more information about the Town of Bristol, the investments we’re making here, and to learn about our economic development efforts, please contact us.