New Fire Station 1 building opens on Old Settlers Boulevard

Published on November 20, 2024 under RRnews

The City of Round Rock marked the official opening of its first major voter-approved bond project from May 2023 with the opening of Fire Station No. 1 on Thursday, Nov. 14.

In May 2023, Round Rock voters approved a public safety proposition with three new fire stations, including the new Fire Station 1.

“We are extremely pleased to already have a brand new facility completed and operational just one and a half years since voters overwhelmingly approved this bond,” said Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan. “This is one of several capital projects that will continue to address a wide range of quality of life priorities in our community for both today and well into the future.”

The new Fire Station 1 is located at 1730 E. Old Settlers Blvd. and houses one battalion chief and a fire crew. These personnel were relocated from the Central Fire Station located at 203 Commerce Blvd., which will continue to house administration functions for the Round Rock FireDepartment, including the Chief’s Office and Fire Marshal’s Office. The new location is expected to better distribute response times across Round Rock, with improved response times to the growing eastern portion of the community.

“Our top priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents, and this project ensures we are prepared for both current and future needs,” said Fire Chief Shane Glaiser. “This strategic redistribution of operations will allow us to improve response times and provide more effective coverage for our growing community.”

Two more fire stations are planned to be built in the coming years, including a new Fire Station 10, which will be located near the intersection of Old Settlers Boulevard and Red Bud Lane. The location for a new Fire Station 11has not yet been announced, but is expected to also meet the growing demand on the north side of Round Rock.

For updates on construction and more information about the City of Round Rock 2023 G.O. bond program, visit www.roundrocktexas.gov/bond.

About the Round Rock 2023 G.O. Bond Program

In 2021, the Round Rock City Council directed staff to begin creating a list of capital projects that would require funding in the upcoming decade. Drawing on community input from the 2020 and 2022 Citizen Surveys, as well as the Round Rock 2030 Comprehensive Plan, Parks and Recreation Master Plan and Recreation Center Needs Assessment, City Council called a May 2023 bond election for capital projects related to public safety and parks, recreation and sports. Both propositions passed on May 6, with Proposition A receiving 67.90% of votes in favor, and Proposition B passing with 75.14% support.

Proposition A focused on parks, recreation and sports and totaled $230 million in bond funding for the construction of hike/bike trails, a remodel of the Clay Madsen Recreation Center, improvements to the Play for All Park, construction of a new park on Brushy Creek in Downtown Round Rock and an expansion of the Sports Center. It will also provide funding for several active amenities within Old Settlers Park, including a new recreation center, a new Lakeview Pavilion, additions to Rock’N River, an expansion of the Multipurpose Complex and replacement tennis courts, as well as systemwide infrastructure throughout the park.

Proposition B focused on public safety initiatives and totaled $44 million in bond funding for the expansion of the Public Safety Training Center, including new classrooms and a driving track, as well as the relocation of operations from Central Fire Station to a new Fire Station 1, in addition to two new stations expected to be built in northern Round Rock.

All of the 2023 G.O. Bond projects are expected to be completed in the next five to seven years.