two new fire stations planned for construction in northern colorado

Reflecting the continued population growth of two northern Colorado counties, plans are underway for the construction of two new fire stations that will be built specifically to accommodate that growth.

The Windsor Severance Fire Protection District, which covers an area of 100 square miles in both Larimer and Weld Counties, already has three operating fire stations, including a $1.7 million headquarters station in downtown Windsor that was opened in 2002.

Now, the district wants to build a new station some four or five miles to the south of downtown Windsor on New Liberty Road.

The other station, which will officially be fire station number 5, is expected to be built on either the northern or eastern side of the district in order to better serve the town of Severance, more than five miles to the northeast of Windsor.

Funding to build the new stations is coming through the November election passage of a mill levy increase, which was approved by district voters by a 53 to 47 percent margin. 

In addition to responding to the explosive growth of Larimer and Weld counties, the new stations, say Windsor Severance Fire Protection District officials, will substantially reduce response times for the new growth areas.

That growth, by any measure, has been significant, with Larimer County showing an increase of 100,000 people since the year 2000 for a current population of 350,500.

Weld County, during that same period of time, has gone from 180,000 to just over 314,000.

By Garry Boulard

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