Kristina Jackson
The Manhattan Mercury, Kan.
(TNS)

Feb. 22—The Manhattan City Commission on Tuesday voted to allow Manhattan Fire Department to purchase more than 9 acres of land for a new fire training ground.

The city will buy the land at 2727 Amherst Ave. from Living Word Church for $850,000.

The land is adjacent to an existing fire station, and fire chief Scott French said the department wants to use the land to build a new training ground in the future.

The current training ground is adjacent to the main fire station at 2000 Denison Ave.

French said the department leases that land from K-State and might have to vacate the training ground portion of the station. French said K-State is interested in getting the land back as part of its North Campus Corridor development project. The purchase would be financed through general obligation bonds.

In other business, the commission also approved a change to the fees for the new Aggieville parking garage. The change eliminates the overnight flat fee for the garage.

Those parking overnight will now pay the same hourly rate as daytime hours, with the first two hours being free then $2 an hour up to a $10 daily maximum.

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Binghamton’s new central fire station is preparing to start answering calls soon, binghamtonhomepage.com reported.

The new central station located on Court Street downtown is expected to be fully staffed in the coming days. There is already a fire truck stationed there and some personnel working in the building, the report said.

The $6.5 million, 20,000-square-foot facility features five bays with a drive-through design, allowing fire trucks and other emergency response vehicles to enter from the rear and exit out onto Chapman Street, not far from Mirabito Stadium, according to the report.

The headquarters for Binghamton Fire also boasts bunk areas for firefighters, a kitchen and dining area, and a decontamination room to prevent hazardous toxins from spreading, the report said.

A groundbreaking ceremony took place in August 2021. A spokesperson for the city says an official opening date has yet to be set, the report said.