MALDEN, Wash. — Tuesday, shovels went in the ground on the new post office, town hall and fire station, the first building to be constructed in Malden since the Babb Road fire.
"Today is the mark of two-and-a-half years of hard work," Mayor Dan Harwood said. "It's taken a while but we're here.”
Mayor Harwood began the groundbreaking ceremony with recognition of the people who supported the town to get to this point. FEMA, the American Red Cross, Washington State Emergency Management, neighbors, town officials and family.
Mayor Harwood said the fire destroyed nearly 70 homes and 80% of Malden and Pine City.
Following the fire, he said he took a survey of what people wanted to see it the town's first build.
He said they wanted a post office.
"Because of this building that we are going to break ground on today, it will contain the US Post Office," Mayor Harwood said and then, paused. "For Malden. Here we go.”
Since the fire, people in Malden have had to drive six miles to get to the nearest post office.
Nellie Flatt said it's been a challenge for some.
"For some people, it's almost a near-impossibility," Flatt said. "They have to have somebody else do it or have someone else take them to do it."
Tuesday's groundbreaking was the first step to bringing an end to that challenge.
"There really is a lot of work that’s gone into this," Mayor Dan Harwood said, shovel in hand, "And this old shovel, was new before the fire, it survived the fire. It’s with pride that I help break the ground with this.”
The post office is set to be constructed first. The town hall and fire station will also occupy the same building.
The town leaders and first responders have been operating out of temporary buildings since the fire.
“We believed in it and this was the mission," councilmember Janell Turner said. "Mission accomplished.”
Officials said construction will begin as early as Wednesday, with the post office set to be completed in 90 days and the full building completed in 200 days.
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