WODONGA’S second ambulance station will be up and running next month, with construction work running well ahead of schedule.
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Workers from local firm Premier Building and Construction are putting on the finishing touches on the $4 million building, on the corner of McGaffins and Felltimber roads.
Construction began early this year and was expected to be complete sometime between July and September — but Ambulance Victoria regional manager Garry Cook said it now looked like work would wrap up at the front end of that timeline.
“We’ve got to make sure it’s all done to our satisfaction before we take possession of it of course, but all going well we might be in by mid-July,” he said.
“The builders have done a great job and they’ve had a great run ... the conditions have been favourable.”
The station will operate in conjunction with Ambulance Victoria’s existing South Street hub.
Half the paramedics from that site will work from West Wodonga.
The long-awaited station, a key promise in 2010 from Benambra MP Bill Tilley, has not been without its problems.
Ambulance Victoria struggled to find a site, considering more than 40 locations across the city before settling on the McGaffins Road property.
Planning Minister Matthew Guy overturned a covenant on the chosen land that stated it could only be used for private residences, after Wodonga Council ordered Ambulance Victoria to undertake further community consultation.
Mr Cook said the organisation would continue to work with residents to assuage any concerns once the station was operational.
“We’ve said from day one we intend to be good neighbours and that is still our intention,” he said.
“We’re happy to finally be at this point.”