By Edmond Ortiz
Members of two far North Side first-responder agencies achieved a watershed moment Nov. 18 during the construction of a new fire station.
What is happening
Officials with Bexar County Emergency Services District No. 3 (ESD 3) and the Bexar-Bulverde Fire Department gathered for a topping-out ceremony at Fire Station No. 103, which is under construction at 213 W. Borgfeld Drive, near the Canyon Ranch Estates neighborhood.
The new Fire Station 103 will replace the existing Fire Station 103, which was opened on East Borgfeld Drive close to the Timberwood Park subdivision in 1970, when BBFD was completely filled with volunteer firefighters.
According to a press release, residential and commercial growth in north Bexar County over several decades has prompted the need for a larger, modern fire station.
The new station, BBFD officials said, will allow their agency’s full-time staff to provide quicker, enhanced service to 20,000-plus residents. On the whole, ESD 3 contains four total BBFD fire stations.
BFFD’s 80-plus full-time firefighters and other personnel serve more than 65,000 residents, and numerous businesses and schools, across nearly 50 square miles.
The release stated that the new Fire Station 103 will also have a meeting room capable of hosting homeowners association meetings, resident gatherings, and small civic events. Additionally, a training facility will be built behind the new fire station, which is estimated to cost $788,500 and funded by property taxes levied within ESD 3.
What they are saying
Jerry Bialick, executive director of Bexar County ESD No. 3, said he and his organization are grateful to taxpayers for supporting the development of a new Fire Station 103.
“The final beam—signed by the dignitaries, construction team, and firefighters who helped bring this project to life—symbolizes the future of public safety in our rapidly growing community,” Bialick said in a statement.
Bialick said ESD 3 does its best to be fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars. ESD 3 has the second-lowest tax rate of all Bexar County ESDs in Bexar County.
“This new station ensures we can deliver the high level of service our community expects and deserves, and it allows us to give back by opening our doors to the people we serve,” he said in a statement.
