Stoneboro Volunteer Fire Company Station 76 opened its newly built doors to the public Sunday during an open house for the new fire station.

The new $877,000 building, at 32 Linden St., was the place for tours, refreshments and words from public officials.

Fire Chief Rick Reither II, who's been active with the company for 11 years, called the new station "a big improvement."

"We needed the extra room for engines and training," he said. "It also has its benefits for bringing in more new members."

He said the department picked up about four members during the six-month construction project.

As curious people dropped by to see the new place, several decided to join, he said. The volunteer fire department covers Stoneboro, Lake Township, Worth Township and the southern sector of Sandy Lake.

The original Stoneboro fire station was built in 1928 in a wooden building on Beech Street. The department was incorporated in 1935. A new station was built in 1949 on Linden Street and a bingo hall was added in the 1950s. The old Linden Street building, which cost only $7,500 to build in 1949, was completely leveled last week and turned into a temporary gravel lot until it gets paved.

The new two-level station, which sits in the plot next to the old one, stands at 12,404 square feet. Construction began early last summer by Rollinson's Construction, Hermitage.

General contractor T.J. Rollinson said it took seven months to build the custom-colored split-face block station.

On the first floor is a hall and kitchen complete with a fire system. Next to the hall is the fire station.

Meeting rooms are located on the second level. A telephone system in the building allows announcements to be heard throughout. The station houses four trucks as well as one car for the chief.

Scott Black, director, said much of the station's funding comes from bingo, which runs at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays. The first bingo game in the new station was on New Year's Day, Black said.

The new building was paid for through a loan from Mercer County State Bank, as well as state funding thanks to state Sen. Bob Robbins and state Rep. Rod Wilt. Both Robbins and Wilt spoke Sunday during the open house.

Keynote speaker Jim Thompson, Mercer County director of public safety, said the greatest entity surrounding the new building was the vision that enabled it to get built.

"It's a department with a vision," he said. "They know where they're going in this generation and the next generation.

"They're always looking ahead and moving things forward, not only with the new building but also with their relationship with the community."

Thompson said the department has planned so far ahead they've already begun discussing the purchase of a new tanker, a $200,000 investment, he said.

"They're planning for 15 to 20 years down the road. That's really the key to success."

Sam Scott, 81, who has been a member for more than 50 years, said the fire house gives the company the space it needs.

"There's quite a difference between the old and the new," he said. "The biggest thing is the space it gives us. We ran out of room in the old one with the trucks. There was no room to walk around."