(Avoca) Avoca City Officials celebrated the Grand Opening of the new State-of-the-Art Fire Station on Saturday. The new fire station is a modern emergency response facility designed to serve the community and the surrounding region for generations to come.
Planning for the facility began more than 15 years ago, as local leaders and volunteers recognized the limitations of operating out of the existing City Hall. Groundbreaking was held on April 21, 2025, with construction completed less than a year later.
Avoca Mayor Tom Bruck, City Administrator Shawnna Silivius, and Avoca Fire Chief Drew Becker addressed the large crowd during the uncoupling Ceremony on Saturday morning. Following occupancy certification on March 27, 2026, the new station at 1313 N. Sawmill Drive is now fully operational and houses all fire and rescue operations under one roof for the first time in the department’s history.
Chief Becker says the new facility has seven bays, four of which are drive-through. The department purchased a new grass truck and recently purchased a new ambulance, which should be available for use in July of 2028. Becker says they have enough crew and that the incoming calls will benefit the community well.
The approximately $3.5 million project includes modern apparatus bays, training and meeting space, overnight sleeping quarters, storm-safe areas, energy-efficient building systems, radiant floor heating, a helipad area for emergency medical transport if needed, expanded emergency response capabilities designed to support the department’s next 100 years of service, and decontamination areas.
Avoca City Administrator Shawnna Silvius says, “This project demonstrates how rural communities can responsibly invest in critical infrastructure while remaining fiscally disciplined,” said Shawnna Silvius, City Administrator. “We intentionally structured this financing model to support long-term public safety needs, capture growth to help fund the investment, stabilize our operating budget, and avoid placing unnecessary additional burden on our residents and property taxpayers.”
Franchise Fee revenues are being utilized to help stabilize and support the General Fund.
Officials hosted an open house from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The uncoupling Ceremony started at 11:30 a.m. A Street Dance Fundraiser was held that evening with Food Trucks, Entertainment, and Beverages.
