LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Pleasure Ridge Park Fire Protection District received a $5 million grant funding from the Kentucky General Assembly for a new facility.

Those funds are going to purchase and renovate an old car dealership building on Dixie Highway. PRP Fire Chief Jason Meiman says this building checked off so many boxes.

“The uniqueness about this piece of property is directly behind this piece of property is an existing firehouse. So this is going to be attached to property that we already have as well as it allowed us to be able to purchase property behind that building for future expansion,” said Meiman.

This 25,000-square-feet building will house Pleasure Ridge Park Fire’s automotive service and headquarters staff.

The fire district has served the community for almost 75 years, providing service to almost 100,000 people.

State Rep. Jared Bauman, R-Louisville, says that is why this expansion is a big deal.

“I represent PRP, District 28, and we need to expand the operation of the fire district. So, we’re here, adjacent to Station One, and we don’t have adequate space to house our personnel or apparatus or emergency response equipment. And so we need to ensure that we can provide the highest levels of public safety to our residents out here,” said Bauman.

Meiman says as the PRP community grows, so will the fire district. 

“I want them to understand that we are growing with the with the times that are growing within this community and that we’re prepared, being an all-hazard agency, we’re also prepared and looking towards the future,” he said.

Meiman says this is the first step to better protect the community.

Pleasure Ridge Park Fire Department is looking for a developer but is hoping to have the place up and running within a year.