With
the destruction of the old Circle K, in front of the Valle Verde Campus,
questions arose again about where to place the Fire Technology Academy
(FTA). Is the move from the Valle Verde Campus imminent? What would
become of the Circle K area?
Back in Oct. 2006, El Conquistador reported that the FTA had to move
to the portable village because of spacing problems in the Advanced
Technology building. This was a temporary move, expected to last only
until the completion of the new facilities at the Circle K site.
The building was to be used as an office for the FTA and lockers would
be installed to house the students’ equipment.
Fire
technology classes are still being
held in the same old portables. Future
plans are to move in Summer 2007.
Photo
by Raul Chacon
Also
planned was an underground cistern system used for the water storage,
intern used for training exercises. All of this was scheduled to be
completed by early January, just in time for spring 2007 usage.
It was spectacle to watch the old Circle K store coming down, and
now it is an empty lot, but the thought of a FTA building coming out
of it would be implausible due to its size.
“We are still in the same portables as last semester,”
said Joe Watkins, a fire technology student. “They had planned
on making a smaller version of the Ascarte Park TA training area,
at the circle K, ” said Watkins.
Watkins continued to state that the FTA actually had three new portables,
located near the VV baseball field, that were being prepared. “They
are closer to the field exercise area,” said Watkins. But even
these new portables turned out to be a temporary solution.
When asked about the FTA’s move to the new portables near the
baseball field, Jaime Farias, dean of Education and Occupational Programs
said, “Currently it’s undergoing electrical installations.
Slowly, throughout the spring semester, they will be moving into it.”
Farias explained why they weren’t in use now. “The current
semester will not [be moving in] because of classroom scheduling that
has already been assigned. However by summer 07, the FTA should already
have moved into the new portables.”
Farias was quick to say that the program was growing every year. So
much so, that the original five-year outline at VV, might be moved
up if the bond that EPCC President Richard Rhodes is campaigning for
actually goes through.
“Ultimately, we hope to make Mission Del Paso the home of a
Public Safety Academy,” said Farias. It would include most emergency
services, like the FTA and mean a potent expansion at the MDP campus.
“It’s all in the president’s hands,” said
Farias.
As for as the demolished Circle K, it will simply serve as space,
“for the college’s further expansion.” No plans
have yet been announced.
