The Peterborough Fire Station project continues on budget, but the construction end date has been pushed back a month and a half to two months.
In May 2024, Peterborough voters approved the $11.3 million budget, and the Building Committee then confirmed design, engineering and construction fell within budget. Construction broke ground in June 2025. With that timeline, the project was planned to finish in September of this year.
According to Seth MacLean, assistant town administrator, harsh winter weather delayed the ability to pour the concrete slabs, postponing the steel work. The project is now expected to finish in November.
Fire Chief Ed Walker said the project was originally extended to December, but the construction crew has cut a month off the delay.
“They’re in there, and they’re making up more time than they’re losing now because we’ve got great weather,” Walker said.
MacLean said he will look into a quote on solar panels for the building in the coming weeks. Because the infrastructure for solar panels is already part of the construction, he said he hopes to have money left over from the project to help fund the panels, or to request funds from the Peterborough Community Power Discretionary Reserve Fund.
He said some of the town’s environmental committees have also expressed interest in helping fund solar panels for the fire station.
As for move-in dates, the Fire and Ambulance departments plan to move in early fall.
“As soon as we have substantial completion and we get a temporary certificate of occupancy, we’ll be moving in,” MacLean said.
Because the departments have been in the same station since the 1970s, Walker said they plan to go through everything before the move.
“Nothing’s going up to the new building we don’t actually need,” he said.
Although Walker retired Friday, he will continue to be part of the project in a part-time capacity. He said he doesn’t want to put all this work on the new chief’s shoulders and has also worked closely on the project for many years as chief.
No new fire chief has been hired, according to MacLean.
“I think that everybody in the town should be really proud of the building that we’ve got,” Walker said.
The future of the old station is unknown, MacLean said. The Select Board has discussed selling the station, but no official decision has been made.
SMP Architects design of the proposed new Peterborough Fire and Rescue Station on Elm Street. Credit: COURTESY IMAGE TOWN OF PETERBOROUGH/SMP ARCHITECTS 
The proposed new Peterborough Fire and Rescue building, facing Elm Street, as seen from the west. Credit: COURTESY IMAGE TOWN OF PETERBOROUGH/SMP ARCHITECTS 
Blueprint of the new fire station. Credit: COURTESY / Ledger-Transcript