A northern New Mexico city with a population of just over 10, 500 people may soon see the construction of a new fire department training facility.
Members of the New Mexico State Legislature have given their approval to a proposal calling for $2.2 million in funding to build the facility, which will belong to the Espanola Fire Department.
More specifically, the capital outlay will pay for the planning, design, and construction of the new building.
The fire department, with its station Number One located on the site of the Espanola City Hall at 806 Veterans Memorial Park Road, has long been in need of a separate facility that would exclusively house-training programs.
The department has done well with lawmakers in past legislative sessions: in 2022 a capital outlay of just over $3.1 million was approved for the construction of a new Fire Station Number 2, otherwise known as the La Joya station, and upgrading of the existing more than 50-year-old facility.
The funding for the new Espanola fire station is one of around 80 individual projects for Rio Arriba County passed by lawmakers and awaiting the final approval of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.
By Garry Boulard
