The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Virginia Rural Development office today announced it will finance a $2 million low-interest direct loan for Churchville Volunteer Fire and Rescue in Augusta County.
“Churchville Fire and Rescue is a lifeline for western Augusta County,” said Basil Gooden, Ph.D., Virginia’s USDA Rural Development State Director. “To help the department become better equipped is important because Augusta is a big county and can be very remote. Residents, visitors and the volunteers deserve facilities that will help the area remain a safe place to live, work and play for years to come.”
The funding announced today will be used to construct a 7,000 sq. ft. addition to the existing fire and rescue station, which was built in 1960 at 3829 Churchville Avenue.
The addition will include five bays to accommodate larger vehicles and a second floor accessible by two stair wells and an elevator. The second floor will feature bunk rooms, shower facilities, restrooms, a training room, an exercise room, laundry facilities, a kitchen, a lounge and storage space.
Funding announced today is made available through USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program, which provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.
In 2015, USDA Rural Development in Virginia invested in 37 community facility projects totaling more than $11 million in loans and grants. Facilities included cultural and educational institutions, public safety buildings and equipment, and health care infrastructure.
Funding of the award announced today is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the loan.
USDA Rural Development in 2015 invested more than $1 billion in rural Virginia through 40 loan, grant and loan guarantee programs in housing, business, agriculture, energy, health care and community facilities. It has employees stationed in 14 offices across the commonwealth to better serve residents where they live and to improve the economy and quality of life in rural Virginia.