By August 9, a three-man crew from Timber Ridge Tree Service of Newtown took down roughly 18 mature trees to clear the way for a new ambulance garage at Fairfield Hills. Spruce, maple, and willows trees — some choked with invasive barberry — fell as Bill Landgrebe, Erik Barrett, and Nate Greenfield limbed and chipped the freshly cut wood as part of the contract with Nosal Builders. They completed their part of ongoing site work to open up the area where a new six-bay, two-story ambulance garage will stand.

It took about three days of tree work, said Mr Landgrebe. He and his crew removed the last of the wood Wednesday, August 14.

Instead of fields bordered by trees partially concealing the one-story duplex buildings, drivers can now glance at Fairfield Hills from Wasserman Way in the area near Reed Intermediate School and view a slightly altered landscape.

Freshly turned earth from Nosal Brothers machinery covers a field surrounded by burms where trees once stood. On that rise are brick duplexes.

New construction will soon start for the $4.5 million ambulance garage project, funded through the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Association. The NVAA members hope the building, which will offer training and classroom space as well as improved accommodations for volunteers and equipment, will be complete roughly a year from now. Also on site and grading the lot was a crew from Nosal Builders.

Learn more about the project to replace the existing facility at 77 Main Street at Newtown-ambulance.org.