BERNARDSTON — The Bernardston Fire Department will likely be settled into its new home, the former Raymond’s Repair building, come April 2025, according to Fire Chief Peter Shedd.

The owners of Raymond’s Repair at 167 Northfield Road are continuing to vacate the 24.15-acre property while it is being worked on, he said.

“A lot of the demolition and restructuring of the office, meeting room and bathroom has been done. The rough plumbing [and] the rough wiring has been completed. I know they are scheduled for the insulators and the sheetrock people to come in and work at the end of this week or the beginning of next week,” Shedd said in a phone interview Tuesday. “So things are moving right along.”

Shedd said that as the site is prepared to house a Fire Department, some trucks can be stored in the space during the winter months, as heating work will be completed. At this time, some vehicles in the department’s seven-vehicle fleet are kept at the current Fire Station at 18 Church St. while others are kept at Valley Concrete & Construction.

The decision to move to Raymond’s Repair stems from the challenges of operating efficiently in the 2,378-square-foot space on Church Street. Although the town had previously planned to build an addition onto the existing Fire Station, renovating and expanding the building was estimated to cost $4.58 million.

Instead, the majority of the 82 residents who attended a July 2023 Special Town Meeting approved having the town purchase the former Raymond’s Repair shop, featuring a 6,320-square-foot building, for $1.6 million through payments of $130,000 over 10 years. A $300,000 down payment was allocated to pay for repairs. Additionally, $1 million that was secured by U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern in March 2024 has made a “huge” difference when it comes to the town’s ability to afford a new station, according to Shedd.

Community support has been a significant factor in getting the new fire station set up, Shedd said. Another opportunity to support the effort will take place this weekend.

During the 20th annual Scarecrow in the Park festivities, a dinner will be held to raise money for the Bernardston Firefighters Association. The fundraising dinner will be held on Friday, Oct. 18, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Cushman Park.

Tickets to the dinner — which include a complimentary pint glass and the first pour, as well as each patron’s choice of a burger and fries, a hot dog with fries or chicken tenders with fries — are $20 per person. Tickets can be purchased by contacting a Bernardston firefighter or by messaging the Bernardston Fire Department on Facebook or Instagram. Chick’n’Wire will provide live music. For more information, visit facebook.com/BernardstonFireDepartment.

Shedd said the firefighters are excited to see how much progress has been made toward renovating the Fire Department’s future home.

“Everybody’s definitely feeling the excitement,” Shedd said. “A new building is finally coming to fruition.”

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.