Wilmette Board Honors Rep. Gabel For Securing Fire Station Renovation Grant

WILMETTE, IL — Wilmette Village President Senta Plunkett and the Wilmette Village Board honored Rep. Robyn Gabel at the board's Sept. 8 meeting after Gabel secured $350,000 in the state's fiscal year 2027 budget for renovations at the village's two fire stations.

Gabel is the Majority Leader of the Illinois House of Representatives.

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The Village of Wilmette has been evaluating updates to Station #26 at 1304 Lake Avenue and Station #27 at 747 Illinois Road. According to the village, the stations were constructed in 1964 and 1958, respectively, and the planned work is intended to improve station functionality, firefighter safety and quality of life.

The projects funded through the grant will focus on health and living conditions inside the stations. According to the village, the work includes updating the sleeping quarters at Fire Station #27 and installing airlock vestibules at both stations.

The current open-area room at station #27 will also be replaced with five individual gender-neutral bunk rooms with locker rooms and privacy doors.

The second phase calls for enclosed airlock vestibules between the vehicle apparatus areas and living quarters at each station. According to the village, that work will reduce contaminants from entering the living areas of each station.

"These station updates are essential to ensuring the health and quality of life for our first responders," Representative Gabel said. "In addition, the sleeping quarter updates will help the Department continue to recruit top quality candidates by offering updated living spaces."

Plunkett also thanked Gabel for supporting the project.

"The Village of Wilmette sincerely thanks Representative Gabel for her support of our Fire Department. These station updates are significant steps in improving the quality of life for those individuals providing critical emergency services to our community," Plunkett said.

For the next phase of the project, the village has contracted with the BKV Group to design the renovation project.