Ocala Fire Rescue and Ocala Police Department officials hosted a ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion and opening of the Martin Luther King, Jr. First Responder Campus on Thursday morning.
The campus, which is located at 505 NW MLK Jr. Avenue, broke ground less than a year ago in December 2019.
The campus – made possible through the one percent Public Safety and Transportation Infrastructure Sales Tax – encompasses OFR’s administration, OFR’s Station #1, an OPD substation, a basketball court, a community room, and the Ocala Fire Museum.
Remarks were provided by Ocala Fire Chief Shane Alexander, Chaplain Joe LaCognata, City Council President Jay Musleh, City of Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn, Ocala Police Major Lou Biondi, Cullison-Wright President Barry Mansfield, Senator Dennis Baxley, Pastor James Pullings, and Chamber & Economic Partnership President and CEO Kevin Sheilly.
“This is not a typical government building,” said Ocala Fire Chief Shane Alexander. “This campus is a catalytic project meant to serve as common grounds where residents and public safety personnel can interact freely, safely, and in a familiar manner.”
For more information about the MLK First Responder Campus, please contact Ashley Lopez, OFR’s Public Information Officer, at 352-817-5914, or Corie Byrd, OPD’s Public Information Officer, at 352-427-2813.