Announcing plans for the new station near University of Ballarat’s Technology Park yesterday, Deputy Premier Peter Ryan said it was hoped the new fire station would be built by the November 2014 elections.

The $2.5 million station was promised by the Coalition in the 2010 election campaign. 

It will be built on Greenhill Road, with easy access to both the university and Geelong Road.

The 4000 square-metre block has been purchased from the UB Technology Park and is located within 400 metres of the boundary of the park itself.

Mr Ryan said there had long been a desire to build a fire station at Mount Helen, given the fire dangers that existed in the area.

“Within our state, this is one of the most bushfire-prone locations,” he said. 

“Acquiring the land and being able to secure the site ... took a little more time than everybody would’ve liked, but it’s done now and we can get on with it.”

CFA Grampians regional manager Don Kelly said there would initially be one truck at the station, with more planned further down the track.

“It does give people a degree of comfort to know where their fire station is and where they can get advice,” he said.

It is hoped that with the current residential expansion on the southern side of Ballarat, and the large amount of country Victorian students at the university, that volunteers for the station will be easily attracted.

pat.nolan@thecourier.com.au