West Valley details $10.3M training academy plan and new Station 75 design
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Summary
City leaders described safety and code concerns at the existing fire training site and proposed a Station 76 training academy featuring a compliant burn tower, showers, locker storage, classrooms and offices with a preliminary cost estimate of $10.26 million; a new Station 75 design estimate was given at $3.5–4 million.
West Valley City staff presented a pair of public-safety facility proposals at the Feb. 20 budget retreat, describing both a replacement Station 75 and a larger training campus (Station 76) to replace outdated training infrastructure.
Harold (staff presenter) said the current Station 75 sits on a constrained triangular lot and that the proposed replacement would mirror Station 72 but add individual bedrooms with private bathrooms. He said the new Station 75 build estimate is roughly $3.5 million to $4 million.
On training, staff documented extensive deficiencies at the existing training facility: a donated classroom unit more than 40 years old; inadequate restroom and shower capacity (presently only one toilet per gender and no showers for cadets); insufficient office and storage space for equipment such as $6,000 SCBA units; cramped dining and classroom overlap; and training props (towers and a basement prop) built from welded shipping containers that have warped, are not code-compliant and force staff to avoid full-burn exercises.
“Some of these props are not meant to burn…they are not OSHA or NFPA approved. It’s a huge liability,” Harold said, urging replacement.
Staff outlined a Station 76 plan that would consolidate burn scenarios, provide stairwells for commercial-building drills, turnout-specific lockers, showers, a mess hall, classrooms, fitness space, offices and storage. The preliminary total estimate presented for the training campus was $10,260,000. Harold said options include phasing construction and exploring revenue sources and a potential public safety bond to finance the project.
Council members asked whether locating a replacement training campus would reduce neighborhood smoke complaints; staff said the proposed Station 76 location would be away from residential areas. Staff also noted that regional departments already use West Valley’s facilities and that a larger, compliant training site could host other agencies’ academies, but that fire academy courses are longer (six to 12 weeks) than police courses, limiting throughput.
Next steps: staff will continue refining cost estimates, explore phased construction and funding options (including grants and bonding) and return with more detailed budget work.