By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

(March 12, 2026) Construction began Monday on the new firehouse for the Ocean Pines Association’s south side, as association and fire department officials broke ground with their ceremonial shovels.

 Demolition of the previous fire station began on Feb. 26 at 911 Ocean Parkway to end the building’s nearly 50 years of service.

In attendance at this week’s event were fire department leadership Joe Enste and Joe Widgeon, members of the Ocean Pines Board of Directors, John Latham, Monica Rakowski, Jeff Heavner, Elaine Brady, and Rick Farr, as well as Worcester County Commissioner Chip Bertino, Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R-38), and Del. Wayne Hartman (R-38C).

“This is a monumental day for the Ocean Pines community. Not just this fire department but the entire community in northern Worcester County,” Enste said.

An upgraded firehouse has long been a priority of the Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department. Officials say the initiative’s initial plans date back to 2001.

Enste said that even then, the facility struggled to provide sufficient space, was outdated, and not in complete compliance with regulatory standards.

The old firehouse was built in 1981. All additions occurred before 1990, and since then, only minor improvements have been made. The building has suffered from a lack of space to meet modern firefighting needs, drainage issues, leaks, and mold concerns.

The previous structure’s engine bays were also only 12 feet wide, making them a challenge to accommodate more modern fire trucks.

The construction project aims to remedy these drawbacks. For example, the new building will include gender-separate bunk rooms, spacious enough to accommodate the fire department’s overnight needs, and a proper decontamination station.

“This new station is going to make sure that we have space for both our career and volunteer divisions,” Enste noted. “This new building is also going to make sure that we can serve the community of today as well as the community down the road.

“When this original building was built in the early 1980s, we never could have imagined the size of this community and the now year-round residents we have, let alone the amount of construction that’s going on out on [Route] 589 and the surrounding communities.”

According to the Ocean Pines Association’s official website, the neighborhood is home to 12,000 full-time citizens.

Hartman added that “a lot has changed in the fire service in 50 years.”

“The equipment has changed, the technology has changed, and what we know about fire safety has changed to protect the firemen, the volunteers,” he said.

The project’s price tag is around $6 million. Per a referendum passed during last summer’s community board election, OPA is responsible for up to $3.4 million, while the OPVFD will fund the rest.

The OPA Board of Directors approved the construction contract with The Whayland Company in January. The project is estimated to take about 60 to 65 weeks to complete.

While the new facility is being built, firefighting devices and equipment have been moved to OPA Public Works, just two minutes from the fire station site. Officials say the relocation ensures that emergency response times are not compromised during the construction period.

OPA President Latham maintained that community officials, as well as homeowners who voted to support the project financially, are all to thank for the upgraded firehouse initiative finally getting off the ground.

“It’s very, very exciting to see this come to fruition,” he said.