Commissioners with Canyon Lake Fire/EMS — officially known as Comal County Emergency Services District (ESD) No. 3 — broke ground this week on a new building for Station 52 in Startzville, calling it a critical investment in the safety and well-being of residents.
The $5 million facility at 160 Oblate Dr. is expected to open by the end of 2026.
Site work for the building began in January 2023, closing the nearby Startzville recycling center.
ESD 3 commissioners decided to rebuild at the current location to maintain satisfactory response times for residents in Cranes Mill and Startzville on the lake’s southwestern side.
Commissioners Stuart Magloff, Don Wagner, Susan Shirley-Mentzel and Holly Gill approved a construction agreement with the Koehler Company on Sept. 24.
Also at that special meeting, commissioners approved construction agreements worth $3.65 million with Frontera Construction for an administration/training facility at 564 Dove St., Canyon Lake.
Images of groundbreaking ceremonies for that new building also were posted to social media today.
On Facebook, ESD No. 3 said significant population growth in Canyon Lake and an expanding roster of operations and administrative personnel made construction of the new building necessary.
“The project represents our unwavering commitment to building a safer, stronger Canyon Lake community,” an administrator posted. “By providing our fire leadership with the technology and space they need, we are ensuring tighter collaboration in emergency planning to protect lives and property as we continue to grow.”
An ESD is a local government agency created by public vote to provide fire protection and/or emergency medical services (EMS) in specific areas of unincorporated Comal County.
According to ESD No. 3’s website, the current property tax rate is .065178¢ per $100 Valuation. The owner of a $400,000 home pays $260.71 a year – approximately $21.72 per month — for fire and EMT services.