GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The brand-new Grand Rapids Fire Station on Kendall Street officially opened on Friday, but while it is a new building, it will still hold on to a piece of history.

A century old white pine oak tree sat on the land where the new station sits, and firefighters knew they wanted to repurpose the tree into something special. The tree was between 150 to 200 years old.

"It is also very nice to be able to bring history back into this new structure," Grand Rapids Fire Chief Brad Brown told News 8.

Firefighters came together to make the project happen. They decided to turn the tree into a long table that would sit in their new conference room.

But what many do not know is that to a fire station, the table is a crucial part of the atmosphere.

"The table is an importa

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