This means the centre is one step closer to resuming operations from that location.

The sub centre building was closed amid concerns chemicals had leached into the building and surrounding ground.

SECWA split to become Western Power and Alinta and has been split further since then, owned the land and buildings up until 1986 when it sold the premises to St John Ambulance to operate their sub centre from the location.

Western Power took on the responsibility to first test the area for contamination and remediate the ground as required once the results of the tests came back.

The land behind the centre was used to treated power poles with now toxic chemicals.

Wagin Sub Centre volunteers continued to provide their valued service to the community from an alternate location in Wagin.

Even though the building was not being used by St John Ambulance Sub Centre, the service provided by the volunteers has remained uninterupted for the duration of the closure of the building.

Western Power media spokeperson Marisa Chapman said the volunteers could look at using the centre again after March this year.

“The excavation part of the process has now been completed and backfilling should commence midway through February.

“The contaminated soil has been transferred to the Wagin landfill site,” Ms Chapman said.

“The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) Contaminated Sites Management Series has been utilised to determine the final extent of the excavation.

“A suitable source of soil to backfill the excavation has been located by the Shire of Wagin who will be undertaking the backfill process over the next few weeks.

“The site will be clean and St John Ambulance will return to the sub centre when the remediation works are completed,” she said.

“A health risk assessment was conducted at the site in 2009 and this indicated that there was no unacceptable risk to occupants working inside the building.

“It is completely up to the management of St John Ambulance to decide at what stage they will return to the building after the remediation works are completed in March,” Ms Chapman stated.