Wayne and Betty Lowe of Warner Robins donated 1.18 acres to the city Thursday for the new fire station. The property is at the southwest corner of Pleasant Hill Road and Bernard Drive.
Warner Robins Fire Chief Robert Singletary said the new station will replace the current headquarters building on Green Street, which will be converted for use by the police department.
Walker repeatedly thanked the Lowes for the donation, which he said was valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars. Wayne Lowe is a local businessman and developer but his wife Betty, Walker said, has been more quiet in her efforts around town.
"She's just kind of low key and never really tried to get any credit for the things she has done," Walker said.
Walker said he'll come before the City Council as early as Monday to ask for approval to start making plans for the new headquarters and another proposed fire station on Lake Joy Road.
The city has not yet acquired land for the Lake Joy station, which will be at the corner of Lake Joy and Feagin Mill roads. Walker said he expects another donation of property.
Without the donations, Walker said, the city probably couldn't afford fire stations in such prominent locations, where property values have risen as development boomed.
"I don't know if there's words to express what a great charitable thing this is for Warner Robins," he said.
Singletary said the moves are part of an ongoing realignment of the city's fire stations that allows for improved coverage without additional manpower or equipment. Because of the realignment, he said, people located far from the new stations will still benefit from their construction.
"It's gonna benefit all the citizens of Warner Robins, not just those in the immediate area," Singletary said.
