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Kamloops  

Kamloops council opts to defer discussion on proposal for new $150M RCMP building

No vote yet on police build

Kamloops council has opted to defer a vote over proposed plans for a new $150 million Battle Street RCMP building, saying the matter will require more discussion first.

The building at Sixth Avenue and Battle Street, which was built in 1990, has been identified as well over capacity for years, and the detachment continues to grow. Contractors have been looking into the feasibility of various design concepts since 2022.

Council was asked to consider preparing a borrowing bylaw for up to $150.7 million to fund construction of a new five-storey RCMP building along with a two-storey parkade.

During Tuesday’s meeting, council voted in favour of a motion put forward by Coun. Katie Neustaeter, who proposed deferring the discussion to a future committee of the whole meeting.

“This is a substantial decision, one that we will have a lot of questions about, we need workshopping on,” Neustaeter said.

“This has, of course, been discussed at a very, very high level since we've been in this term, but we anticipate that there will be a lot of discussion needed and unpacking, and also a lot of opportunity for the public to speak to us about what they read in the report.”

Byron McCorkell, City of Kamloops CAO, said the city is under contract to provide a building for RCMP.

“Basically, they're the ones that determine what their size and space needs are, and our job is to provide and facilitate for it, under contract, a new building,” McCorkell said.

He said the city is now at a situation where its Mounties are “far exceeding” the space available in the building.

According to a city report, in 2022, the City of Kamloops retained consultants and contractors to look at the Battle Street detachment to see what could be done to upgrade the facility.

The group came up with two concepts for renovating the existing structure, but RCMP and city staff felt these plans wouldn’t allow for long enough use of the building given the amount of money the projects would cost.

“A large project to address the current and future needs of police services in Kamloops is required,” the report said. “The current Battle Street property is strategically located for the current police services and future civic services.”

Staff said the new recommended concept — which involves constructing a new building to the west of the existing detachment, demolishing the old structure and building a parkade in its place — will suit policing needs for the next 30 years.

The new building at 560 Battle St. would be 120,700 square feet, and includes considerations for requirements related to prisoner intake, cells, exhibits, fleet maintenance, crime prevention, forensics, investigative services, records and information.

According to the report, the $150.7 million in borrowed funds would cover the estimated $70.7 million building, $12.2 million for a parkade, and $1.4 million for the demolition of the existing structure.

It would also include $28.5. million in allowances for escalation and construction risk.

The city would need to seek public approval to borrow the amount needed to fund this project.

Borrowing more than $150 million for a new RCMP building would result in a taxation increase of 0.99 per cent in 2025, 2.12 per cent in 2026, 1.53 per cent in 2027, 0.44 per cent in 2028, 0.37 per cent in 2029.

To date, council has approved $4.75 million to fund the development of preliminary designs for the three concepts.



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