The new Fleet Maintenance Facility is now open.

The City of Ripon made it official Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring the Ripon City Council, city staff, the Ripon Chamber of Commerce, and the public works crew, to name a few.

Construction of the 12,500 square foot maintenance building and parking lot project was years in the planning, and is located not too far from the original facility, built in 1976, on Doak Boulevard and Vera Avenue.

Back then, Ripon had a population of about 3,500 residents and had seven public works employees.

“Today, with the city’s population and services having grown significantly, the old facility could no longer meet the demands of the community,” said the City of Ripon on its website.

Construction of the Fleet Maintenance Project began not too long after Diede Construction, Inc. was awarded the bid back in December 2022.

Cost of the project with the changer orders came out to about $11.9 million, paid via the Corp Yard AB1600 along with the Water, Sewer, and Storm Enterprise Capital Funds, and the General Capital Fund.

“This new facility marks a significant milestone for the City, equipping the Public Works team to better serve the community for years to come,” the City noted, adding: “The investment in this upgrade ensures that Ripon is ready for continued growth while maintaining the high standard of service its residents have come to expect.”

This new plan also ensures that Ripon is now prepared to serve future growth up to 40,000 residents.

Ripon currently has around 17,000 residents.