Workmen from LDJD Investments have spent the past week laying the concrete base for Guyra SES’ new headquarters off Starr Street.
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When they finish late next week, builders will start work on the shed itself.
The new headquarters are expected to be completed in the first week of July.
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“It’s good news for the community,” Armidale Regional Council’s regional infrastructure director Rob Shaw said.
“It's good for the SES volunteers in the community, because they will have a nice modern and safe workspace; it's good news for business in town as well, and it's good news for local contractors because we are using local contractors to build the shed."
The current headquarters, in a weatherboard building off the highway, was considered inadequate for the unit and its 30 volunteers.
The new 15m by 20m building will have a modern training room, operations room, map room, and a control room, as well as full toilet facilities, shower, and kitchen.
The whole construction will cost $350,000. The SES are contributing $100,000, and council will provide the remaining quarter of a million.
Council is also providing land for the site, which is part of their depot. They have portioned off part of the depot at the rear of the council workshop, which also has its own separate access to Starr Road.
There have been some surprises along the way. Council had to check the site wasn’t contaminated by bitumen and other products used to patch roads.
Structural engineers also said council had to put concrete insulation under the slab, because Guyra is classified as a very cold area.
Council has engaged the following trades to work on the SES shed:
Plumbing: Hammond Plumbing / Guyra
Electrical: Adam Hoffman Electrical / Guyra
Structural steel erection: Ashley Bennett Steel Constructions / Guyra
Structural Steel/Cladding/Windows: Techspan/Armidale
Concrete/Reinforcing/Formwork: North West Concrete/Bundarra
Reinforcement Steel Supply: Concrete Industries supplies/Tamworth
Concrete Supply: Ducats/Guyra
Building Supplies: Armidale Building Supplies/Armidale
Design: Local Government Engineering Service/Inverell
Excavation: Armidale Regional Council