SWANZEY, NH- Town officials in Swanzey have revealed the multi million dollar price tag on the proposed new fire station.

At a public meeting last night Michael Branley said the current design, unveiled at the meeting, will cost $3.95 million, everything included.

The design at 321 Old Homestead Highway is just over 12,000 square feet, and features three extra long bays, office space, and a decontamination area for firefighters to clean up after a call.

Katie Sutherland of KCS Architects said there is room for future growth in the space, including a space for beds should the fire department evolve into a full-time staff. There is also room for solar panels, and the possibility of building a second floor if needed. Sutherland said those are all things considered in the current design with the possibility of coming to life in the future, but is not currently on the radar for the building and budget.

Branley said at the meeting at Whitcomb hall to a crowd of over two dozen community members and members of the fire department that he thinks it’s a high estimate, and he’s hopeful it would come in closer to $3.5 million.

This station would replace station #2, which is currently housed in the basement of the Town Hall. Some community members who attended the meeting were wondering about the possibility of creating a municipal campus, where the police station and town hall would also move onto the same property, but Branley stressed the top priority and only move planned right now is the fire station.

Following a presentation those in the audience were able to vote on whether they did or did not like it. Most were in favor of the design and budget, with a handful of folks who were not on board.