Kansas State Fair officials surprised local fire officials on Tuesday by proposing to reverse the fair’s position on the location of a new fire station on the edge of the fairgrounds.
Interim Fair General Manager Ed Berger broke the news about the desired change to Hutchinson Fire Chief Steve Beer and Deputy Chief Doug Hanan when they appeared to update the State Fair Board on progress for the station.
The plan for a new station has been in the works since 2015, but Beer said he hopes to budget for construction yet this year.
Beer was there to offer the board a look at conceptual drawings and a blueprint for the station located on the northwest corner of the grounds, near gate 3 and off of 23rd Avenue. The design drawings, he said when asked, cost the department $25,000 to prepare.