Take a drive along Ridge Street and you will see the start of West Easton’s new Public Works Garage.
The shell of the 40′ x 64′ garage was erected on Wednesday, following preliminary work of preparing the site and pouring footers for the structure during the week. It awaits two large roll-up doors and the gutter system that will be installed upon their arrival to the site.
Though the thought of a public works building was raised in 2013 by a previous Council, with a discussion of acquiring the land through “imminent domain” and $90,000 being budgeted for it in a redistribution of tax money collected in 2013 for police protection, the garage idea failed to move forward until new Council members were elected.
The Public Works Building Project was re-addressed and later approved by the new Council members, shortly after they were seated in 2016, with former-Councilman Henry Nodoline and then-Council President Dan DePaul originally spearheading the effort.
Dan DePaul, now the Mayor of West Easton, wants residents to know, “In the past three years there was the need and a desire to make improvements in our community. The Public Works Garage is just one that can be seen, of many that have been done. More improvements will continue.”
The land purchase was eventually completed and a grant toward the cost of building was sought in 2017.
The current garage structure is only Phase One of the project, having used $60,000 in grant money awarded earlier this year.
Phase Two of the project, that is anticipated to commence in 2019, hopes to see the installation of water, electric service, and a cement floor, among additional items, such as security cameras, fencing, lighting, and more.
A new grant application has already been submitted in an attempt to, once again, offset the cost of these needed additions to the building and property.
West Easton had been in need of a building for many years, having run out of space for storage of equipment and vehicles long ago, with some of it left out in the elements due to the lack of a covered area.
The new Public Works Building will eventually allow the borough’s work trucks, along with road and parks equipment currently housed in the park pavilion, or at Borough Hall, to find a proper home.
Updated 11/24 to correct dimensions of building.
Disclaimer: On January 4, 2016, the owner of WestEastonPA.com began serving on the West Easton Council following an election. Postings and all content found on this website are the opinions of Matthew A. Dees and may not necessarily represent the opinion of the governing body for The Borough of West Easton.
