PHOTOS: Mayor, Fire Chief Break Ground for New Roseville Fire Station

Roseville's Fire Chief Tim O'Neill, Mayor Dan Roe and City Manager Bill Malinen picked up shovels Monday evening at a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new fire station to be built near Lexington Avenue and County Road C.

"We're back here, hopefully, in about 12 months to have a city-wide celebration for the ribbon-cutting," O'Neill said.

Construction workers will start digging Tuesday in the project that's more than a decade in the planning.

The new $9.2 million fire station will be 32,000 to 36,000 square feet in size. Some of its features will include geothermal ground-source heating, natural lighting, LED lighting, high R-value walls and windows and a white membrane roof that reflects solar light and heat to minimize the heat island effect.

The new building will be constructed on the site of the old station, which dates to 1958 and was shuttered in October 2011 .

"It's not often in one's life you get to participate in something like this," Malinen said.

Roe said he was looking forward to the ribbon cutting in 2013.

"Hundreds of firefighters have contributed to a rich history and a long tradition of service, dedication and professionalism," Roe said. "It is only fitting that we provide our firefighters who have served us so well with a facility that can serve them and the community well into the future."

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