Lyons to demolish old firehouse

Building has served many purposes, officials say

By Steve Metsch

A bit of Lyons history, which has served its purpose many times over, will be torn down this summer.

The Lyons Village Board has approved demolition of the former firehouse, which earlier had been a water pumping station, at 4043 Joliet Ave.

The one-story, red brick building at the corner of Joliet and Collins Avenue also served an emergency services office, Mayor Christopher Getty said during the village board meeting of May 23.

The building has been used for storage at least 10 years, he said, and is at least 100 years old, Getty said. In its place, a parking lot will be constructed for the fire department, Getty said.

The board, by a unanimous vote, approved paying $16,700 to Delta Demolition, Inc., based in Chicago, to do the job.

The water tower stands directly behind the building. The new fire station was built just north of the old firehouse in the early 1970s, Fire Chief Gordon Nord said.

Fire trucks and fire equipment

“You know, it has served its purpose. The building is really not usable,” Nord said.

Getty agreed, saying “it’s very small inside.”

He and Nord found the demolition price to be reasonable.

That’s not the only change coming to Collins Avenue.

The village board approved plans for resurfacing Collins, from Joliet east to Amelia Avenue, along with some portions of Prescott Avenue.

Using community block grant funds, the village will pay no more than $368,600 to Chicagoland Paving Contractors, Inc., based in Lake Zurich for the work.

“This came in $40,000 under the contract estimate by the village engineer, which is good savings for the village of Lyons and good work for our dollar,” Getty said.

In other action, the board extended a one-year service agreement, through May 3, 2018, with R&D Data products, based in Palatine, for an amount not to exceed $5,909.

“This is our battery backup system for the police department to keep us operational, so we don’t lose electricity or data in that department or the village hall (if the power goes out),” Getty said.

The board approved a one-year professional agreement with Youtech & Associates, based in Naperville, to “rebuild the village’s web site, and also help us with additional Internet services,” Getty said.

The village entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the Township of Lyons for its 2017 Summer Employment Work Program. It is for men and women, age 18 to 24, and provides them with jobs over 10 weeks in the summer.

“It works out very well. The library works with us on this, so does the summer camp. So, if you know anybody in that age range looking for employment for 10 weeks, please tell them to come to the village hall and inquire about that,” Getty said.

At the start of the board meeting, Getty, village clerk Irma Quintero, and village trustees Teresa Echeverria, Dan Hilker, Paul Machiori and Greg Ramirez were all sworn in for their new terms by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Edward King.

They all won election in April. This marks the start of Getty’s third term as mayor.

Getty thanked his fellow board members, saying “it makes my job a lot easier when I have a very supportive board that stands with me. I appreciate them wholeheartedly.”

Desplaines Valley News

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Steve Metsch

Steve Metsch is an award winning veteran reporter who previously worked for the Daily Southtown Newspapers, Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times. Metsch is a writer and editor at the Southwest News Newspaper group based in suburban Chicago, and a freelance writer at the Chicago Tribune.
Email Steve Metsch at sm4610@sbcglobal.net