By Paul Maryniak | Ahwatukee Foothills News
The western communities of Ahwatukee will have a fully operating city fire station closer to homes within the next two years, thanks to Mayor Kate Gallego and city Councilman Sal DiCiccio.
Gallego and the DiCiccio worked with City Manager Jeff Barton to include the station’s construction on city-owned land on the northwest corner of 19th Avenue and Chandler Boulevard in the 2023-24 capital budget.
Moreover, when the station opens, it will be immediately manned by a fully trained staff that will be entering the training academy in the next fiscal year because the two officials also have secured $3 million in the 2023-24 operating budget – and $3 million annually after that – to cover operational costs.
The trial budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 is scheduled to be released tomorrow, Feb. 16.
The Ahwatukee facility is the only fire station included in the 2023-24 capital budget.
“It’s very exciting for that community and we’re moving forward,” Gallego told AFN in an interview. “We will have response times there that will be the envy of the rest of the city.”
