Council Discusses Fate of Former Fire Station, Possible Dog Park in Wickford
The NK Town Council discusses the Quidnessett Fire Station and a possible dog park in town.
It’s been almost 56 years since the Quidnessett Fire Station on North Quidnessett Road closed down, following a consolidation of the town’s fire department in 1956. In the first meeting of 2012, discussion on the future of that building returned to the North Kingstown Town Council at the request of Council Member Chuck Brennan.
Since its closure, the station has been used by the Quidnessett Volunteer Firefighter Company, which still has a few members. Though the non-profit organization owns the building, they don’t pay the bills: the town does that. According to Town Manager Michael Embury, the town pays the utility bills and insures the building. Since 2009, the town has spent $8,232.21 on the building gas bill and an additional $823.53 for electric.
“Do we want to continue paying out of our budget to keep and insure this building?” said Brennan, who suggested fundraising by volunteer groups could help keep the building operational.
Though it has been closed as a firehouse for the better part of a century, the former station still serves as a community center for residents in the North Quidnessett area, according to John O’Brien of Narragansett Street.
“It’s not a firehouse anymore,” said O’Brien. “It’s a community center and we’d hate to lose it.”
A Dog Park for North Kingstown?
Whereas many residents have seen Wickford Elementary School and its grounds as just another vacant town property (and optimal sledding location when there’s snow on the ground), one North Kingstown resident sees something else – dog park.
Dan Morrison of Stone Gate Drive, who owns two dogs, spoke before the council, sharing his vision of a dog park on the former elementary school’s grounds.
“I’ve come to realize that, seeing Wickford Elementary School vacant for so long, there’s a great parcel of land that’s centrally located in town that would make a great dog park,” said Morrison, pointing to the school’s partially fenced-in property. Morrison added that the dog park may even help draw more activity into nearby Wickford Village.
Members of the council favored the idea, but the future of Wickford Elementary School may put a kink in the plan. Wickford Elementary School, which has been closed since 2005, and the Little Red Schoolhouse on School Street are set to be surveyed by DiPrete Engineering soon, with council members indicating that the two properties may be put on the market. A $3.85-million bond to convert the building into a joint town hall and school administration facility fell last September in a landslide vote. Voters did, however, approve a measure allowing the town to sell the building during that special election.
Though Morrison suggested using the grounds as an interim dog park, Council Member Charles Stamm and Town Manager Michael Embury fear it would interfere with youth sports organization that use the fields for practice.
Embury suggested that the council look into converting the former transfer station on Hamilton Allenton Road into a dog park.
zelda fish
8:09 am on Thursday, January 12, 2012
Just where does the Town Council think this money is going to come from to build dog parks? Yes, they think maybe more than one is needed! There was no mention of it being paid for by donations or fund raising. Who is going to maintain these parks? The town workers? Who is going to pay for all the fencing, the ground cover, the disposal of dog feces? What about the neighbors - are they going to be happy about all the traffic and the noise from barking dogs? More tax dollars. As to the new community center in town, if I let my neighbors hang out at my house will the town pick up my utility bills? Don't they get it? THERE IS NO MONEY! This town is going to the dogs!
JR
8:12 am on Thursday, January 12, 2012
THAT IS A GREAT IDEA FOR N.K!!!
JR
8:13 am on Thursday, January 12, 2012
Either loction would make a great dog park.
Pam
9:14 am on Thursday, January 12, 2012
South Kingstown has a dog park paid for by funds raised. The town is maintaining the grounds anyway. Central location is a great idea and I think it would indeed increase consumer traffic in Wickford. Dog owners are social and active.
KPM
11:54 am on Thursday, January 12, 2012
Great idea, but raise funds to do it. This should not be paid for by the tax payers.
Govstench
4:22 pm on Thursday, January 12, 2012
So now the Town Council is considering a Dog Park? This almost sounds like Alice in Wonderland. Again, we have vacant buildings that the town is paying utility and heating bills on. What is wrong with this picture? Now we have yet another building, an abandoned fire house that is owned by a non-profit organization that the town is paying the gas and electric on? Who authorized this $9,055.74 expenditure? I know many non-profits but the municipality doesn’t pick up the tab for their utilities. Perhaps an investigation is in order to see what other tabs this manager is paying for. Time for accountability Embury.
laura
3:00 pm on Friday, February 10, 2012
We need a dog park, it is something that is almost a necessity now a days when you own a dog. If the land is being cared for by the town anyway, funds can be raised by dog lovers and owners. If you don't like the idea that is fine but don't go to the dog park then!
If we can raise enough money for fences, and initial planning where the taxes are not affected there is no harm at all to anyone. If the land is vacant and being cared for anyway by the town then great. Had a little extra to the fee when you register the dogs for the coverage of doggie bags and we all help keep it clean. SK has one, very beneficial and a great communnity get together place to talk to other neighbors you may not see if there was no dog park.
Travis
1:01 pm on Saturday, February 11, 2012
I think a dog park would be a wonderful addition to NK. I cant imagine the over head would be very high....
NKGOP Watch
3:36 pm on Saturday, February 11, 2012
Great, make WES a dog pooping area, we can call it:
THE JIM HALLEY DOG POOPING GROUND
Midlife Momma
4:29 pm on Saturday, February 11, 2012
Great idea!!
NKGOP Watch
3:38 pm on Saturday, February 11, 2012
and, since she was halleys greatest rubber-stamper on the school committee, then his partner in the failed "education consulting" thing, we can landscape it in the shape of carol huestons face!
Midlife Momma
4:29 pm on Saturday, February 11, 2012
How about making the playgrounds the town has for people accessable to people with special needs?? I think that should happen before we make a park for dogs!
NKGOP Watch
5:04 pm on Saturday, February 11, 2012
Momma, the town council is dominated by the NKGOP, the party whose members VOTED to make HALLEY their party secretary! Do you think the party of the man whose "claim to fame" is getting busted for misdirecting HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS in special needs funds gives a hoot about special needs residents? Dolans husband reprsented Halley and won him MORE MONEY as a "settlement" for illegally misdirecting special needs monies, then carol hueston went into business with halley in some kind of attempted "education consultant" business! thats YOUR NK town council!