After 43 years as a volunteer fire station, Goulds Station 7 is going full time.

Councillor Wally Collins say the time was right to expand for a full-time regional service.

St. John’s Regional Chief Sherry Colford thanked the volunteer firefighters for their years of hard work, which will continue until the changes are finished.

There’s lots to do in the meantime. Land and funding are yet to be determined, a new stations must be built, and there will be recruitment for full time positions.

She says they are estimating a new building to cost 3.5-million. Colford says they are looking to hire 12 additional full time firefighters. Additional costs will be about 2.5-million, she says.

The transition is expected to take between three and four years to complete.