(File photo: CFJC Today).

By Stephanie Swensrude

DETACHMENT EXPANDING SOON

Kamloops council fast-tracks Battle St. RCMP detachment expansion

May 10, 2022 | 4:11 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops RCMP’s Battle Street detachment has been bursting at the seams for years. The expansion to the building has already been delayed a number of times since it was given the initial thumbs up in 2020.

To avoid further delay, City staff are asking for $4.75 million to start detailed planning on the expansion. This way, they can present the plan to the current council rather than waiting for the newly-elected council come October.

“My feeling is we shouldn’t just push stuff forward to a new council to deal with. I think this council recognizes the need for this project,” said Kamloops Mayor Ken Christian. “And certainly with supply chain issues it’s in the public’s best interest to get this underway.”

If council agrees to borrow the nearly $5 million needed for detailed planning, administration sees long-term savings.

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“The thought is if we wait and suggest… a cost range, we would then be delaying and waiting until early 2023 to go through preliminary design,” said Jen Fretz, director of civic operations with the City. “With the markets the way they are, it’s expected that delay will likely cost the City money in construction costs going forward.”

The Battle Street detachment was built in 1990 and designed to hold around 85 employees. There are now around 190 employees working there.

“We are in desperate need of additional space. The addition of the North Shore office did buy us a little bit of time,” said Kamloops RCMP Supt. Syd Lecky. “As we’re planning for the future, council has approved 25 members… over the next five years.”

“When you add support staff into that mix, it’s gonna really put us in a very very tight position.”

“The overcrowding in the Kamloops detachment is starting to affect the way that they operate,” said Christian. “I’ve been in… the other areas of the building that are chronically overcrowded and starting to affect policing.”

The project will cost between $50 million to $80 million and take more than three years to complete.