As part of its continuing effort to create a single fire protection service by dissolving individual corporate firefighting entities, Cherokee County is accepting ownership of the Sugar Pike Fire Station of the Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Department.

County commissioners recently approved the transfer of the building and its 0.56-acre site at 3644 Sugar Pike Road east of Canton. The facility will continue to operate as Cherokee County Fire Station No. 32.

The Sugar Pike firehouse, a single-story, roughly 2,800-square-foot building with an office, living quarters and fire truck garage bay, has been in operation as a volunteer station since 1978. Cherokee Fire and Emergency Services will run it as a county station, with county personnel.