A Renovated Fire Station for Willemstad
The fire station in Willemstad is severely outdated. For this reason, the municipal executive is proposing to the city council that the station on Landpoortstraat be renovated. During the renovation, which is expected to take about 1.5 years, the fire department will be temporarily housed on Steenpad in Helwijk. The city council will discuss the proposal on August 22.
The municipality is responsible for providing adequate facilities for the fire department. In 2020, the city council therefore commissioned a feasibility study into potential new locations for the Willemstad fire station. The current fire station in Willemstad no longer meets the minimum requirements of occupational safety and health legislation and is technically and functionally outdated. For example, fire trucks are getting larger and larger. The current large fire truck barely fits in the station.
No other location found
The search for a new location did not yield a suitable site. The locations examined in the urban areas of Willemstad and Helwijk did not meet the requirements regarding travel times, were unavailable, or were too expensive. After consultation with the province, locations in the outlying areas were ruled out if alternatives existed, such as renovating the current location. This decision was made with a view to the careful use of space and the proximity of a barracks within the culturally and historically significant fortress.
Renovation of the current location
In consultation with the fire department, it was therefore decided in 2022 to explore the possibilities at the current location. That ultimately turned out well. However, the fire station does need to be enlarged. The solution found is to expand into the city wall. The design for the renovation is now complete. The relevant committees—including those from the province responsible for architectural aesthetics and historic preservation—are supportive of the plans.
Temporary location during renovation
During the renovation, the fire station on Landpoortstraat will be out of service for approximately 1.5 years. During that time, the fire department will be temporarily housed on Steenpad in Helwijk. This location is preferred by the volunteer firefighters and can be put into use by the fire department with only minor modifications.
In conclusion
Mayor Aart-Jan Moerkerke is pleased with the plan being presented to the city council: “The firefighters had to go through the fire truck to get to the restroom. That’s obviously not acceptable. After the renovation, the fire station will be good to go for a long time to come, and we’ll have a fire station for the volunteer firefighters that meets all requirements. That’s an important foundation for providing quality fire protection services to Willemstad and the surrounding area. It was quite a challenge. With this design, we’ve succeeded in meeting that challenge. The Midden- en West-Brabant Safety Region, which oversees the Willemstad Fire Department, is also pleased with the plans. If the city council approves the proposal, we can begin the bidding process for demolition and construction this fall.”