Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps members have moved in to their new ambulance garage with its driveway on Wasserman Way, and have already held training classes there. After more than a year of construction, the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Association’s (NVAA) Board of Trustees received the official certificate of occupancy for its new home of operations, and welcomes officials, first responders, and the public during two days this weekend.

Grand opening ceremonies have been set for Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19, at the new site for NVAA’s headquarters: 6 Washington Square, within Fairfield Hills.

Town officials and staff from Danbury Hospital, Masonicare and Maplewood at Newtown have been invited to the facility on Saturday from 2 to 4 pm for the formal ribbon cutting and dedication.

The following day will host a pair of receptions: first responders have been invited to visit from 2 to 4 pm, and the public is invited from 4 to 6 pm, for walk-throughs and a celebration.

The six-bay garage and adjoining building offers corps members sleeping bunks, a common room and kitchen, storage space, classroom and training areas, and conference space. Outdoors is a large patio with sweeping views of the Fairfield Hills grounds. The privately funded $4.5 building is now in use. It went into service at 1 pm Saturday, October 11.

The new design has taken into consideration the need for increased integration with other Newtown-based health and wellness organizations, with a second floor devoted to education. Features of the building also include office space for the executive board and the association, and technologically advanced electronic and security systems.

The new headquarters was financed with $3 million from organizational reserves and a $1.5 million 30-year mortgage from Newtown Savings Bank.

In addition, the ambulance association has a 99-year land lease with the town for $1 a year, also paying common charges to Fairfield Hills Authority for its portion of the costs associated with operating the campus.

Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps has been serving the community since 1941. As the town’s population grows and the demand for service increases, so do the needs of the organization.

With 70 members and an annual 911 call volume of more than 2,200, the corps has outgrown the facility it has occupied at 77 Main Street since 1972.