BY ANNE SCHRADER
CAYUGA, Ind. — More than 40 years after the last move into a former auto repair shop, members of the Cayuga Fire Department eagerly anticipating a move into a new 8,400-square-foot facility.
Firefighter Dowayne Osborne, who has spearheaded the fundraising efforts for the project, recalls the day five years ago when the idea for a new firehouse was born. Osborne had just retired from the state highway department.
Osborne's efforts, along with others on the fire department and in the community, resulted in the $685,000 project nearing completion without the use of taxpayer money and no debt incurred by the fire department or the town.
The project's main funding source was a $500,000 Community Development block grant through the Community and Rural Affairs Department of Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman's office. The rest was raised locally through donations from businesses and community foundations, some of which donated amounts more than what had Osborne asked. The fire department also contributed, and the auxiliary did some of its own fundraisers.
"The fire department sent out two letters to (residents of) the township, asking for donations," Osborne said. "The first one brought in over $20,000 and the second one brought in $14,000. I couldn't believe it, in this little area when so many people are having such a tough time."
Volunteer labor has helped to keep the cost of the new facility down.
"Mark Swingle donated his equipment, time and expertise to do all the excavating, and the town sent their (employees) to put in the water and sewage lines and to help Swingle with the digging," Osborne said. "Albert Clark donated the ground."
Once the interior is finished, firefighters Rick and Roger Lewis have volunteered to paint.
"It all helps," Osborne said. "And it's all coming together."
The groundbreaking for the facility was in June, but the project hit a snag when the excavators had to dig deeper than they had planned.
"It cost us a lot of money to fill that hole back up," Osborne said.
The red iron started going up Oct. 5, and the interior work began Jan. 9. Osborne said he anticipates the building to be finished by mid-March, but pouring concrete outside will have to wait until spring.
Town council President Ron Brink said the contractor, Akers Construction of Crawfordsville, has 210 days from the start of construction to complete the project, but some bad weather days might have to be figured in.
"We had a completion date of April 5 under ideal conditions," said Brink, who is also the fire department rescue chief. "Even if the building itself is finished, if we can't get trucks in the building, then it's not done."
The fire department will move in after the concrete work is completed, and the Cayuga Lions Club will take over the existing firehouse. The Lions Club currently meets in a room at Clark Chevrolet.
Once completed, the new building's south end will house the fire department's meeting and training facility, including a communication room, officer's quarters and a kitchenette. The north end of the building will be the community center with a 32-foot by 36-foot main room, a full kitchen, bathrooms and a storage area. The fire trucks will be housed in the middle portion of the building. There is enough room to park six trucks, including two drive-through bays.
Near the truck bays is a soundproof room to store noisier equipment, such as air compressors and a cascade system used for refilling oxygen tanks.
The building also has several other features that make it efficient. The radiant in-floor heating uses hot water to heat the concrete floor, from which the heat rises and radiates through the building circulated by ceiling fans.
"I originally didn't want the floor heat, but I talked to two farmers who put it in their pole barns, and they said it keeps your equipment warm," Osborne said.
The building is cellulose insulated, which is made of 80 percent post-consumer recycled newsprint. A steel wool-type material is used to keep rodents out.
"The architect (Judith Kleine of Crawfordsville) did a good job of designing it to keep it cost effective," Osborne said.
The building will be smoke-free and fully handicap accessible.
Osborne said that while enough money has been raised to cover the building's construction, the department still is accepting donations for additional equipment.
"Some things went by the wayside when we had the extra dirt expense," he said. "We'd like to have a washer and dryer, and the firemen would like a big screen TV for their training room. I'd also like to see some nice equipment go into the community center kitchen.
"I want this to be a really nice place for the community, something they can be proud of," he said.
