Summerland RCMP move to new home

Summerland RCMP officers past and present marched from their old building to a new state-of- the-art facility led by a pipe and drum band on Friday.

Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer - Castanet

Sgt. Mona Kauffeld stands in front of new Summerland RCMP Detachment building, which celebrated its grand opening on Friday

The walk was among many activities tied to the grand opening of the new Summerland RCMP Detachment building on Pineo Court.

“The city did a good job of planning for this and it’s a great new space with room to grow,” says Sgt. Mona Kauffeld, who led a tour of the building.

The fuel and power efficient facility is a far cry from the former building which housed the detachment from 1975 until earlier this week.

Once a restaurant and disco, it had a leaky ceiling, only one change room without a door for men and women downstairs and a small and often crowded entry area.

It was only supposed to be for short term, but that did not turn out to be the case.

“It was too small and the type of place that was never meant to be a police station,” says Kauffeld.

By the mid-90s, there was more serious talk of getting a new facility. The city subsequently did a referendum in October, 2010, which was approved by taxpayers.

The final cost to build it was approximately $4.6 million. A sign in the lobby proclaimed it even came in under budget.

Several local dignitaries attended the morning’s celebration, which included a flag lowering ceremony at the old building on Jubilee Road East. The public was invited to do tours of the building in the afternoon.

Around 300 visitors were treated to a first look at the spacious lobby, interview rooms, desks where police officers sit and the cell blocks, which are not yet in use.

Anna Lock, who came by with her family, said her children were eager to see the inside.

“We are proud of this new building and want to show our support for those who keep us safe,” she said.