Submitted photo Front row, from left, Hubbard Rotary Club member Robin Zambrini, Eagle Joint Fire District Chief Ron Stanish, Eagle Joint Fire District Board Chairman Rick Hernandez, Rotary Vice President Molly Auchter, Rotary President Patty Rydarowicz, Rotary members Karen Moretti and Chris Curry, Rotary Treasurer Amber DeJulio, and back row, from left, Eagle Joint Fire District trustees Jeff Rolland, Mike Mogg, Tanna Angyal and Erin Burns, show off a check from the Rotary Club that was used to purchase land for the fire department.

HUBBARD — The Hubbard Rotary Club donated nearly an acre of land to the Eagle Joint Fire District last week.

The land is located across from Handyman Hardware on state Route 616, according to Eagle Joint Fire District Board Chairman and Hubbard trustee Rick Hernandez. The land is 75 feet to the left of the fire department’s front doors.

He said they have no plans for the land right now but will use it in the future.

“For future use we could probably use it for a building to house the ambulances separate from the fire trucks,” Hernandez said. “The deed would be placed (under) the Eagle Joint Fire District and we could use it for whatever we have the money to use it for.”

Rotary Vice President Molly Auchter said the club purchased the land to help the fire department with expansion.

“The fire department has been trying to expand their services and what they do and they need a bigger building or a separate building and they had come and done a speech or presentation for us talking about the needs they had,” she said. “One of the things was an expansion of the building and we came across this property and saw the sign. That’s what we do as the Rotary — community projects. We wanted to help them, which will help the community as a whole.”

She said the Rotary purchased the land from the Kiwanis Club for $7,000 plus closing costs. This was paid for by the Rotary with money made through fundraising projects.

Auchter said she hopes for the department to also be able to use the land as a separate exit.

“Right now their exit is on West Liberty (Street),” she said. “That poses a problem if someone’s blocking that exit. As they’ve acquired a full-time staff now, they are running out of space. We wanted to provide them with something to take that load off when they’re trying to get new ambulances or do training.”

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