As work gears up on the new fire station in Reston, construction crews will soon tear down the current one.

The demolition on the old facility (1820 Wiehle Avenue) is expected to begin early this December, William Delaney, a spokesperson for Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, said.

Construction is underway for a temporary station at 1800 Cameron Glen Drive to serve the community until the new facility is completed in 2021.

The existing location is too small and does not suit the needs of the community anymore, another spokesperson previously told Reston Now.

The new station will cost $14.8 million, double the size of the station and feature two stories with room for administrative offices, a dayroom, kitchen, storage and bunk rooms.

“I am sure there will be a grand re-opening ceremony when new station up and running,” Delaney said.

Image via Google Maps 

Absentee voting in Fairfax County begins tomorrow (Sept. 20) for the Nov. 5 elections.

Eligible community members can register to vote for the upcoming elections online or at the Office of Elections (12000 Government Center Parkway) in conference rooms two and three. Voters may also receive their ballots through the mail.

Absentee voters in Reston may also submit their registration or ballots to the North County Governmental Center (1801 Cameron Glen Drive) on Oct. 17- Nov. 2 from 3-7 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturdays.

All absentee voters will need a valid driver’s license or state-issued identification card and their social security number to register.

For those unfamiliar with the process of absentee voting, Fairfax County published a variety of resources to explain the procedure and help answer questions.

Ballots will be translated into English, Spanish, Korean and Vietnamese.

The last day to apply for an absentee ballot is seven days before the election, or Oct. 29 by 5 p.m., according to Fairfax County. All absentee ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Nov. 5 in order to be counted.

A temporary fire station in Reston is almost ready for fire and rescue personnel to use while they await their new, permanent station.

Built in the early 1970s, Reston Fire and Rescue Station 25 is set to get demolished this fall and replaced with a new fire station at 1820 Wiehle Avenue.

Construction is set to begin later this year on the new fire station, which will more than double the size of the current department. The project is expected to cost $14.8 million.

“We are not planning a groundbreaking as this new permanent station is a replacement station not a new one to Fairfax County,” Ashley Hildebrandt, a fire department spokesperson, told Reston Now. “We will have a grand opening once the station is built.”

Until the new fire station is finished, fire and rescue personnel will use a temporary fire station at 1800 Cameron Glen Drive near the North County Government Center.

The temporary station consists of trailers and a large tent.

“The temporary fire station is in the final stages of construction,” Hildebrandt said. “Personnel are preparing to move into the temporary station in October.”

Cameron Glen Care Center officially shut its doors in Reston on July 1.

The future of the facility, a 150-bed nursing and rehabilitation unit, had been known for some time. Commonwealth Care of Roanoke, the parent company of Cameron Glen, built a $22 million new facility, Potomac Falls Rehab in Sterling. Potomac Falls says 120 patients made the move from Reston to Sterling.

The facility even took its orange sign with them when they moved, leaving a tattered Cameron Glen sign in its place.

The move leaves a hole in Reston’s amenities as there is now no nursing home in Reston. Could the building be used for another residential facility such as a school or treatment center?

There is discussion that the land may be part of the plans for Reston’s Town Center North area. The 47-acre area, of which Cameron Glen is just a part, is bounded by Baron Cameron Avenue, Fountain Drive, and Town Center Parkway and Reston Parkway. The land is owned by two parties: Fairfax County and Inova.

Some possible uses that have been discussed for Town Center North include the location of a proposed new Reston Community Center indoor pool and recreation center; a hotel; residential development and parks.

Whether Town Center North includes the Cameron Glen parcel or not, it would still have to go through a master plan process, as well as county and Reston planning requirements.

What do you think should be developed in Cameron Glen’s place? Tell us in the comments.