Building something new

It always takes time to build something new. An example of this is proposed new police station here in New Prague.

The New Prague City Council has been discussing the new building and whether or not to build it for the past two to three years. In covering those council meetings, there has been a lot of talk about it. Discussions have ranged from how large of a building should it be, what should be included, parking space, where to store evidence or impounded vehicles plus other details.

The price is an aspect that has caused the council to balk at building the new structure. As time has gone by, the price has decreased over time. At the most, it started around an estimated $15 million, that shrank to $12 million and most recently $10 million. Still a large sum, but the city council had good news recently as the bids came in under the last estimate with the lowest bid just under $8 million.

The work is scheduled to begin this year and, in my opinion, it’s a good time for it to start. With the way things are and how the markets are fluctuating, waiting a year might bring about some prices increase.

Over the years New Prague’s population has increased and so has the number of police officers needed for the community. Currently, the size of the police station really doesn’t allow for the size of New Prague’s police force.

New Prague had a similar situation a few years back with its fire department. The garages currently used by the police department at the northwest corner of city hall were at one time used to store the city’s fire trucks. The small garages didn’t really allow for new fire trucks. People have heard me say it before that, at one time, firefighters had to pull in side mirrors just to get the fire trucks into the garages. That, plus other aspects, made the council realize it was time to build a new fire station. The new one has served the city well, allowing for new and larger fire trucks to serve the city and the surrounding area. Anyone who has been to the fire department’s annual open house has seen how the fire station now has room for several fire trucks, equipment and space for firefighters to get into their gear.

Over the next couple council meetings, there will be more news on the new police station, which will be here in The Times.

Easter

Easter Sunday is over a week away and it is one of the times the holiday is happening in late April. Unless we get some winter-like weather, it should be a time when there is sun and hopefully temperatures in the 50s or warmer. This spring has been one where temperatures have been bouncing from the 30s to a couple days where temperatures have reached the 60s.

At least this Easter will be one where there’s little to no chance of snow. Growing up about 300 miles northwest of New Prague, there were years when Easter was in March and we had snow on the ground. I’m not talking a dusting, but there were years when there was still several feet of snow. There was one Easter, as a child, when my parents had my younger brother and I in our best clothing for Easter and then had bundled us in snowsuits. We were allowed to go outside and wait for the rest of the family. I have a memory of my brother and I sitting in a snowbank that had to be a couple feet deep or more. I think we were trying to bury each other in snow. That stopped when my parents came out the door and told us to get in the car.

After church, the rest of the day was spent visiting family as we usually did each Easter.

However you spend this Easter, I hope it’s a good one and that it’s a nice sunny day.