A new flagpole is up, the driveway is in, new pavers are on order, and both interior and exterior work at Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Association’s new garage are nearly complete.

Clerk of the Works Brian Feeney said the construction schedule runs through September 5. “That is the last day, in theory,” he said. With the way work is going now, he said, “I think we’ll make it.”

Association Board of Trustees Treasurer Bruce Herring said they have informal plans for a mid-October opening. The building, complete with two stories, fits in with Fairfield Hills to match older buildings in that area, he said.

Walking through the new, six-bay garage and facility Wednesday, August 6, Mr Feeney noted the new epoxy floor and asphalt driveway. Stepping behind the building, Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps member and Building Committee head Stuart Rieve showed off the large patio where a gas grill will go just outside the building’s kitchen. From the patio is a view of open fields and the Reed Intermediate School across Wasserman Way. Beyond the patio are the older Fairfield Hills duplex buildings that are slated for remediation and reuse.

The Board of Trustees last June voted unanimously to move ahead with the estimated $4.5 million new emergency medical service facility, and held a groundbreaking ceremony on July 29, 2013. The six-bay, 14,500-square-foot garage’s 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 include individual crew-member bunk rooms, office space for the executive board and Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Association Inc, three double-long garage bays, and technologically advanced electronic and security systems.

This building will also include a large training room to facilitate increased community educational opportunities such as CPR and AED training, first aid, and scout merit badges. It will also provide space for equipment storage and training for emergency medical technician classes, which are imperative for the continuity of the volunteer corps.