London Grove Township opens new public works facility
10/31/2017 11:34AM ● By Richard Gaw
By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer
The first ideas that led to the construction and recent opening of a 14,000-square-foot public works facility for London Grove Township began ten years ago, growing largely out of the need for the township to finally give its public works department a permanent home.
For years, the department worked out of a facility on Route 41, a location that many believed could not serve its growing needs, which was joined by the department's use of the former Conard-Pyle Company building nearby.
“We began to explore the need, and then looked at the township's capital budget in order to finance that need,” said Public Works Director Shane Kinsey. “We looked at various locations to see which would best fit, and then proceeded through until the building concept was agreed upon.”
Estimated at $3.5 million, the facility, located on Rose Hill Road next to the township's administration offices, includes a main building and adjacent salt storage facility that can hold 1,000 tons of road-clearing salt; a generator to serve both buildings; a water and sewer system; administrative offices; a training room for its staff to attend PennDOT-sponsored Local Traffic and Planning (LTP) classes; a bunk room that allows staff to rest during storms; and increased storage areas for the department's vehicles, equipment and supplies.
The new facility also includes an area where the department can produce its own brine, which will allow the department to utilize various chemicals to more effectively remove snow from roads.
“The building allows us to streamline our operations,” Kinsey said. “When we were working out of two facilities, we were basically hampered by the need to move equipment and personnel around between locations, so we spent a lot of time in that process. Some of our equipment had been stored outside in the past, and now, because it's all stored indoors, it can be maintained better.
“It also gives us an area to maintain our equipment better. We have a mechanics bay where we can fully work on the equipment indoors, instead of outside in 20-degree weather.”
The public is invited to attend an open house for the new public works building on Nov. 1 from 5:30 to 7 p.m., just prior to the start of the township's Board of Supervisors meeting.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].
Staff Writer
The first ideas that led to the construction and recent opening of a 14,000-square-foot public works facility for London Grove Township began ten years ago, growing largely out of the need for the township to finally give its public works department a permanent home.
For years, the department worked out of a facility on Route 41, a location that many believed could not serve its growing needs, which was joined by the department's use of the former Conard-Pyle Company building nearby.
“We began to explore the need, and then looked at the township's capital budget in order to finance that need,” said Public Works Director Shane Kinsey. “We looked at various locations to see which would best fit, and then proceeded through until the building concept was agreed upon.”
Estimated at $3.5 million, the facility, located on Rose Hill Road next to the township's administration offices, includes a main building and adjacent salt storage facility that can hold 1,000 tons of road-clearing salt; a generator to serve both buildings; a water and sewer system; administrative offices; a training room for its staff to attend PennDOT-sponsored Local Traffic and Planning (LTP) classes; a bunk room that allows staff to rest during storms; and increased storage areas for the department's vehicles, equipment and supplies.
The new facility also includes an area where the department can produce its own brine, which will allow the department to utilize various chemicals to more effectively remove snow from roads.
“The building allows us to streamline our operations,” Kinsey said. “When we were working out of two facilities, we were basically hampered by the need to move equipment and personnel around between locations, so we spent a lot of time in that process. Some of our equipment had been stored outside in the past, and now, because it's all stored indoors, it can be maintained better.
“It also gives us an area to maintain our equipment better. We have a mechanics bay where we can fully work on the equipment indoors, instead of outside in 20-degree weather.”
The public is invited to attend an open house for the new public works building on Nov. 1 from 5:30 to 7 p.m., just prior to the start of the township's Board of Supervisors meeting.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].
