By Trina A. San Agustin
Variety News Staff

THE Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority plans to reconstruct two fire stations, in addition to the ongoing reconstruction of the Barrigada Fire Station.
On Monday, GHURA, along with the governor’s office and the Guam Fire Department, decommissioned the Barrigada Fire Station and began demolishing the 57-year-old building.
The demolition marked the start of the facility’s reconstruction.
GHURA director Ronald de Guzman told Variety that funding for the two additional reconstruction projects is not a problem.
The problem, he said, is finding available and feasible government of Guam land for the new location of the Agat fire station.
“Right now, the Agat Fire Station sits on a flood zone. Every time there is a typhoon, the area floods. So we may have to relocate that fire station,” said de Guzman.
De Guzman has asked GFD to work with the Department of Land Management and the Chamorro Land Trust Commission in locating a piece of property away from the beachside in Agat.
But the Tamuning Fire Station, he said, may be reconstructed on its current location just like the Barrigada station.
GHURA and GFD will have to work with the Tamuning Mayor’s Office to determine whether the existing fire house should stay at the ITC Intersection, or relocate it as well.
De Guzman said the construction of the fire station will start as soon as available land is found.
Youth projects
According to de Guzman, the Dededo mayor’s office is working with the Department of Youth Affairs to turn the current Dededo Police and Fire Station into a village youth center.
GHURA also plans to construct a 10,000-square ft. concrete skate park in Dededo.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the skate park is set for Monday, March 12, at 2 p.m. on the Dededo buffer strip to the right of the existing police and fire station.
The project is expected to be completed in 180 days.
Currently, skaters and skateboarders in the village use the Dededo Mayor’s Office or the old tennis court at Lechon Park.
According to de Guzman, the design of the skate park will be similar to those in the U.S. mainland. The award-winning skate park designer is from the states and is working with the contractor on the final plan.
“The project was thought of after I came back from Reno, Nevada attending a housing convention. We (GHURA) noticed there were a lot of skaters in front of different buildings and on different streets,” de Guzman said. “The governor wanted to give the youth some outlet. For the past several years, we have been focusing on the manamko’. We are now shifting the focus towards the youth. Some of the upcoming GHURA projects will be pushed towards benefiting the island youth.”
The project will cost $60,000 and will be paid for through a Community Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing.