All Invited to May 20 Ceremony to Break Ground on New Fire Station No. 4

The public is invited to attend a ceremony Tuesday, May 20, at 9 a.m. for the groundbreaking of the new City of Ann Arbor Fire Station No. 4, to be located on the same parcel as the current building, at South Huron Parkway and Platt Road. The new facility will be the first net-zero fire station in Michigan and the first carbon-neutral city building. It will feature geothermal heating and cooling, solar panels and other energy-efficiency measures.

Ceremony Details

The ceremony will begin promptly at 9 a.m. with remarks from Mayor Christopher Taylor, Office of Sustainability and Innovations Director Missy Stults, Ph.D., and Ann Arbor Fire Chief Mike Kennedy. Parking is available at Scheffler Park, 3096 Edgewood Drive.

Background

The City of Ann Arbor will replace the nearly 60-year-old, outdated fire station with a more modern, safer and energy-efficient facility. In addition to aligning with city A2ZERO sustainability goals, the new building will feature updates such as adequate areas for contemporary firefighting equipment and for personnel, including gender-appropriate facilities. And in the theme of inclusivity, Fire Station No. 4 will also receive a new name, in honor of Ann Arbor’s first female firefighter, Mindy Kerr. Kerr served with the Ann Arbor Fire Department from 1980 until she retired in 2005. 

A new basketball court will also be built at the adjacent Scheffler Park.

Funding for the new Fire Station No. 4 will come from a combination of proceeds: from a city-issued General Obligation bond and General Capital funds that have previously been appropriated.

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Media Contact: 

Media Contact: Mike Kennedy, Ann Arbor Fire Chief, mkennedy@a2gov.org