City wants to prioritize expansion to downtown police station

May 7, 2022 | 11:53 AM

KAMLOOPS — City staff are itching to get started on the RCMP Battle Street detachment expansion — and they’re asking for an infusion of funds to do so.

Kamloops City Council will receive a report from staff Tuesday (May 10) detailing the reasons why the expansion should be a priority before the new council is elected later in the year.

The RCMP Battle Street detachment was built in 1990 with a capacity of 85 employees and was expected to provide policing support for the next ten years. The report details a number of “piecemeal” renovations that were aimed at increasing capacity. These renovations have resulted in operational challenges and safety concerns.

The report to council says the detachment building now holds 190 employees, double its original intended occupancy.

The current estimate for the project is $50 million to $80 million. The report says this expansion would double the existing space and serve the city and RCMP’s needs for the next 15 years.

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The expansion has been delayed several times after its initial introduction in 2020. The pandemic pushed it back to late 2021. The current timeline would mean that staff wouldn’t bring a validation report before council until after the new council is elected in late 2022.

Instead, staff wants to rush the timeline to avoid further delays, and to lessen the impact of inflation and supply chain delays on the project. Council would need to approve a short-term borrow of $4.75 million to start detailed design work as soon as possible.

City staff says rushing the timeline could save up to $7.1 million on the overall construction estimate.

by Stephanie Swensrude

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City wants to prioritize expansion to downtown police station

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