FOX 21 News, KQDS-DT

DULUTH - There's potential new hope for the controversial fire hall on Park Point.

Duluth's fire chief is allowing a few more weeks to discuss concerns and ideas, but that doesn't mean the hall has a better chance of staying open for good.

The Park Point Fire Hall was scheduled to close June 1, but now could remain open until the end of June.

Regardless of the date, neighbors remain upset about losing their security blanket.

"To think that you would do this in the busiest time of the summer is ridiculous and it's really jeopardizing the safety here on park point," said Jenny Peterson, a member of the Park Point Community Club.

Yes, those who live in the Park Point community are still upset over the impending closure of its longtime fire hall.

Duluth's fire chief released the plan for the fire hall to be presented before next Tuesday's city council meeting.

In the plan, he highlights the study conducted by an outside party to help decide whether to keep the fire hall open.

Neighbors argue that study was flawed.

"I heard that the consultants were here in October. October is when it's quiet around here. There's no traffic and hardly any bridges going up," said Peterson.

The aerial bridge is arguably the biggest concern of Park Point residents.

The study reported 1,459 full lifts in 2011, half of those involving outbound ships.

That’s something the fire chief says can be sped up or slowed down.

Neighbors with experience in operating a ship say that's not probable.

"I myself have a captain's license and I know what it would take to divert and convert a vessel coming in and out of the piers to that challenge and I personally don't think at the right moment it's going to happen," said Tom Rauschenfels, who has lived on the point for more than 50 years.

Rauschenfels says he personally knows the power of having a fire hall close by.

"I had an emergency three years ago or so and the first ones there were the fire hall people, the fire hall man. He beat the ambulance by quite a bit and the bridge was down. That's the interesting part," said Rauschenfels.

The study also alludes to the fact that of the 118 calls for service over the past year, only 23 were considered emergency.

If you take out false or canceled calls, the number drops to just one call per week.

But those on the point say all it takes is one wrong call.

Peterson said, "All it's going to take it one tragedy for the city administration to really know that they've made a mistake about this."

"I think the fire hall is just another nail in the coffin to a nice community feel and I hate to see it go. It's a real tragedy," added Rauschenfels.