CARLSBAD — Fire Station Number 2 located next to the La Costa Resort and Spa is long overdue for renovations, according to Fire Chief Mike Davis.
The fire station is nearly 50 years old and was built in 1969.
On Tuesday night, the City Council approved spending about $342,000 on renovations that include the addition of a unisex bathroom, a new roof, an updated exterior and a reconfiguration of the drive and parking layout for the fire fighters’ cars.
The City Clerk will now advertise for bids for the project. The bid period lasts six weeks and then the council will decide on a contractor, sometime in fall.
At a future council meeting, the public will get a chance to provide input on the contractor chosen for the project.
After a construction company is chosen, the renovations will begin.
The fire station originally housed one full-time fire fighter who responded to about 500 incidents a year.
Now the station is used by five full-time fire fighters who respond to 11,200 incidents.
Mayor Pro Tem Keith Blackburn had hoped to expedite the process at a meeting in April.
“I think if the residents visited the fire station, they’d be appalled that that was their safety headquarters for their fire department,” Blackburn said. “I think we were negligent in not addressing this 10 years ago.”
Mayor Matt Hall agreed though adding that it was important for staff to do their due diligence.
