Cherokee OKs design fee for new fire station

The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners has approved spending $197,774 to have an architect design a new fire station in Canton for Cherokee Fire and Emergency Services. AJC FILE

The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners has approved spending $197,774 to have an architect design a new fire station in Canton for Cherokee Fire and Emergency Services. AJC FILE

The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners has approved a $197,774 change order to a professional services agreement with its fire station architect so that it can adapt an existing design to a new facility to replace Station No. 9 in Canton.

Wiley Wilson has produced “a most acceptable prototypical building design, with each station site adapted,” and is therefore recommended for the job, according to a report to commissioners by Chief Timothy Prather of Cherokee Fire and Emergency Services.

Wiley Wilson previously did the master plan and architectural, engineering and surveying services for new stations completed earlier this year in Ball Ground and Holly Springs, Prather said.

The architect provided additional services for Bells Ferry Fire Station No. 1, currently under construction and to be occupied by year’s end, Prather said. The new Canton fire house will be built on about 10.5 acres recently purchased by the county, across from the existing Station No. 9 on Reinhardt College Parkway.