Columbus has approved an agreement between the Columbus Fire Department and the Columbus Firemen’s Cheer Fund regarding a building it plans to construct on the Columbus AirPark campus.
The Cheer Fund plans to build an 8,000-square-foot building that would be adjacent and connected to the training facility currently being developed by the fire department on Verhulst Street.
The Columbus Board of Works on Tuesday approved a memorandum of understanding between the fire department and the Cheer Fund, which is the oldest charity in Bartholomew County that depends solely on public donations for its existence.
The Columbus Firemen’s Cheer Fund, founded in 1930, last year collected and distributed toys to about 1,300 children from income-eligible families in advance of the Christmas holiday.
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The memorandum outlines each entity’s responsibilities tied to their respective buildings, including upkeep and maintenance.
The Cheer Fund plans to obtain grants and do fundraising to help cover the costs of its building, board member Jeff Brown said.
Brown, who said the cost of the building hasn’t been determined, noted that the nonprofit hopes to have it ready by spring and would provide the Cheer Fund with a year-round facility. No city funds are being used to help with the construction of the building.
The city’s fire training facility totaling 12,000-square-foot will be used for simulation exercises such as extrication and fire extinguisher training. However, bids for interior work of the project are still being evaluated, Columbus Fire Chief Mike Compton said.
City officials previously said they anticipated the building would be open by January, but Compton said he now expects the facility to be finished by early spring due to construction delays.
Compton added that the project by the Cheer Fund is a win-win for the organization and the city, giving the organization a year-round facility to help the community.
