Mobile officials held a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday for the new Crichton fire station, touting improvements in service that they say it will bring to surrounding areas.
The new fire station, off Spring Hill Avenue west of Bay Shore Avenue, will replace the closed Gus Rehm station farther west on Moffett Road. It was the subject of some controversy last spring, as the Mobile City Council questioned aspects of the land deal and District 1 Councilman pushed for the design to include a community meeting room, an expense that wasn't favored by Mayor Sandy Stimpson.