Carlisle residents in Massaschusetts voted to kick start plans to revamp the town’s 1980s era fire station. Among the items approved was design funding, setting the project in motion after years of study and public review.
Voters initially authorized $150,000 for design work in May 2025 to evaluate how the 1985 building can be modernized to meet current safety standards and support the needs of firefighters and EMTs. The measure passed overwhelmingly, with only seven votes in opposition.
As the spending required a Proposition 2 and a half debt exclusion, Carlisle held a special town meeting on Nov. 13. Voters passed Article 2, which approved moving ahead with design work on the Waterford Street Fire Station without affecting the tax levy limit.
The project aims to improve firefighter safety, create adequate living and working space for on-call staff, and ensure gender equitable facilities within the building. The plan also seeks to maximize the use of existing space while adding only cost-effective new areas. Sustainability is a key priority.
A private development firm are working with the town on design development. Public tours of the current station and presentations on conceptual plans are scheduled through the fall, with additional sessions expected as the project advances.
The select board plans to appoint a Fire Station Building Renovation Committee to work with the design team. Once design work is complete, the town will consider a full construction funding request at a future Town Meeting.
Photo by Connor McManus from Pexels
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