RCMP Building Costs - Criminal - Opinion 250 - News for Northern and Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada

RCMP Building Costs - Criminal

Tuesday, May 12, 2009 03:45 AM

We are going to have to take City hall to the, “cut up your credit card meetings", that is where they tell people that they have been spending a way beyond their means and the only way to stop the spending spree is to cut up the cards.

If spending $46 million on a new police station doesn’t blow your mind, it should. Even if you add on the civilian help, the Bylaw services from the city, it works out to $230,000 dollars to house each person. Of course there are the holding cells, and perhaps some interview rooms, and the like, but just how good must the surroundings be?

It doesn’t however just start with a police station that we have already gotten away out of hand with the credit card we owe a lot of money in this city and it is climbing.

In February we were paying $9.4 million in debt service charges, interest to us normal souls, plus $5.6 million to pay off the Terasen gas loan which needs a further $100,000 dollars topping up this year to make the payment.

Now let’s see we have borrowed money for road rehabilitation, snow removal, sewer, water, and how dare I forget that we are only showing $221,000 dollars interest charges per year on the police station, the balance of $3.2 million will come when we have finished approving the plans and build the structure.

You might also want to add on the additional $7.4 million that we will need to finish paying off the Cameron St. Bridge. (We have only borrowed $2 million so far).

Then if you’re a forward thinker we could borrow another $30 to 40 million after grants for a Performing Arts Center, (we may need to get another credit card to do that).

If the City evens begins to think about a new police station, then the Casino down town comes to mind and if it isn’t suitable. Oh well, our population has been holding steady, so perhaps, so should our police force.

If the citizens of the city are called upon to come up with a reverse petition to kill this latest demonstration of un- controlled spending, we need another petition which calls on the city to tear up their credit cards, enough is enough already.

I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion.

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Posted on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 03:45 AM in Views by Ben Meisner

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Comments

Posted by: taxinapothole on May 12 2009 5:46 AM

right on Ben! They are out of control. We need to get back to basics, period! Water, sewer, fire protection, policing, garbage collection, snow removal, and our DAMN ROADS. End of story!!

There is NO money for special interest groups. There is no money for the elite few, that would like a PAC!! We have plenty of facilities already in Prince George, that can serve this self serving bunch of parasites!!

The middle class pay the bills, we should have a say where our money goes.

Fix the damn roads Mr. Rogers, and not just in your "Neighbourhood"!!

This city is an embarrassment to many citizens of "Stinky Town". I hear it all the time in my cab! When are you going to start listening Danny Boy and council

Come with me for a shift in my CAB Mr. Rogers. Come and see the real world in Pig Gorge!! I will show you roads, that you have no idea are so bad. Driven down Fox Drive lately, got to be one of the worst I have seen!! But these morons, are going to repave Union Street. Who the hell is steering this SHIP. These roads need to be fired, NOW!!! Ed Shearing comes to mind! Mr. Shearing, you are very incompetent, you prove it over and over again, with your lack of foresight, to the end result, of any task you entail!!

Thanks for listening to my rant. Have a great day everyone.

Posted by: muckermike on May 12 2009 5:48 AM

Hear Hear!!!!!

Posted by: taxinapothole on May 12 2009 5:53 AM

sorry, I miss spelled, "these roads need to be fixed, NOW!!!

Posted by: Andyfreeze on May 12 2009 7:31 AM

They ARE out of control indeed!
Bang on Ben!

Posted by: metalman on May 12 2009 7:50 AM

Yes! Fire the roads! ;) Ben, you have put into words what many of us are thinking; that we the city must begin to become more responsible with the money. I can go along with the claim that the city rcmp need more room, but a 46 million dollar building is over the top. A practical solution would be to add onto the existing building (as we all know, the structure was designed for additional floors) I am sure that the current codes could be met in terms of renovating the existing. They should build right over Brunswick street andseventh avenue, creating two cul de sacs. Creative thinking could get it done, but it is too late already, the 'powers' have made up their minds that the only solution is a 46 million dollar solution. It is too bad, really, and so wasteful too.
metalman.

Posted by: Eagleone on May 12 2009 7:59 AM

The city thinks $50'ish million for the RCMP building, $50'ish million for the PAC, $50'ish million for the new Airport road is all in a days business and maybe they can get their name on one of the projects. Thats $150 million in new debt right there alone that will have to be serviced by the 'next generation' who will head for the hills and dump this town rather than stay in a bankrupted town.

Home taxes will pay for all of this. That is where they get the money to pay for these ideas in a shrinking town. $150 million in new debt on top of the debt we already have will kill this town... if interest rates go up then we are for sure done for.

Problem is the signs are everywhere with 'stimulus spending' 'quantitative easing', which all clearly says inflation (ie higher interest rates as a result) is the prefered route for the central banks to get out of the debt bubble they created... this spells huge interest rate hikes in the near future (1-2 years)... adding $150 million in new debt for three wish list projects simply is not the right thing to be doing right now IMO. Its irresponsible to take on that kind of debt locally.

Posted by: Eagleone on May 12 2009 8:07 AM

I guess if these projects go ahead then we can count on closing the swimming pools, multiplex, library, ice rinks, and all the other civic buildings in the near future. The city can't print money like the federal government can, so when it comes time to pay and the tax base is shrinking and paying ever more for 'debt service charges' then cuts will have to be made to discretionary spending and that can't be roads, sewer, and water... so expect to haul your own garbage and have little to no services, because all the taxes they can squeeze out of you for your home will go to paying 'debt service charges' for these pet projects of city hall.

Time Will Tell

Posted by: Hindsight on May 12 2009 8:42 AM

As has been suggested before, wouldn't the best plan be to have seperate small detachments one in College Heights and one in the Hart and leave this prime piece of realestate for more beneficial useage?

Posted by: Palopu on May 12 2009 9:04 AM

Its the same old ploy. Put the ideas out there with a cost figure, then let the general public vent their anger, and over time proceed with the project. People only stay mad for so long then they resign themselves. The City and others count on this happening, and it is a rare occasion indeed when they lose one.

The present police station is apparently not sufficient, and one of the problems (so called) is that the cells are on the 2nd floor,which causes some safety concerns. Now this statement seems to have some credence, unless you remember that:
(a) The prsent Police Station was approved by the RCMP, and the City and was built to specific specifications.

(b) The present station has been around for approx 20 years. How many times have we heard about a safety issue????

This is much like the City saying that the new Garbage system would reduce injuries, and WCB Claims, however they never did get into any detail as to how much they actually paid in claims.

This will be the third NEW Police Station in Prince George since the Mid fifties.

(1) Seventh Avenue, where the Casino is now located. Built approx 1957.

(2) The present location at 9th and Brunswick.

(3) The new proposed location at 4th and Victoria.

Seems we need to build a new station every 20 years, even though the City population, is declining, crime stats show a decrease. I doubt if any other City in Canada has built 2 brand new stations in 50 years with a plan to build a third. This is a dubious distinction indeed.

The present Council was elected to trim costs, and stop irresponsible spending. This would be a perfect place to start.

Letters to the Councillors would be a good beginning.

Posted by: muckermike on May 12 2009 9:57 AM

We sure screwed up not puuting Zurowski in the Driver's seat. This council obviosly needs a leader.

Posted by: NMG on May 12 2009 10:33 AM

"We sure screwed up not puuting Zurowski in the Driver's seat. This council obviosly needs a leader"

Are you kidding? He was on council when they positioned themselves to be in this situation, just like many of the others still on council. It will take more than one person to turn this ship around, LOL.

Posted by: lmorge on May 12 2009 10:57 AM

Hindsight: "As has been suggested before, wouldn't the best plan be to have seperate small detachments one in College Heights and one in the Hart and leave this prime piece of realestate for more beneficial useage?"

The population of the city is too small to warrant additional detachments. Also, at least a corporal would be needed to supervise the constables and there simply isnt enough of them to go around. To build yet more smaller detachments would be as great a waste of resources as building a 43 million dollar police station.

Whenever something serious hits the fan and you see lots of police cars, its because the members assigned to the other areas are converging there too.

There are community policing stations around, but they are not suitable for law enforcement purposes.

As a police officer I can tell you that we don't really care about a building containing so much archeictual(sp?) hoopla. That's where the extra costs are coming in. Make it modern, functional and well designed. Why the city is pushing this, who knows?

Posted by: caranmacil on May 12 2009 3:17 PM

I dont get how the thing can cost nearly 50 million. Then again, i didnt understand why the pineview hall cost almost a million. It isnt even much bigger than a regulare house! Maybe the real point is: Quit your jobs and take up construction!

Posted by: diplomat on May 12 2009 3:22 PM

[urlhttp://canada.archiseek.com/manitoba/winnipeg/west_end/portage_avenue/rcmp_lge.html[/url]

A picture of the RCMP headquarter building in Winnipeg.

It's functional in design and good looking.

Prince George can have something like that, perhaps not as large.

Nobody wants to be reminded of ice jams.

Posted by: diplomat on May 12 2009 3:23 PM

http://canada.archiseek.com/manitoba/winnipeg/west_end/portage_avenue/rcmp_lge.html

Posted by: Harbinger on May 12 2009 5:34 PM

Hey, it's not my debt. If I can sell my house and move away I can leave it here. Kinda like Las Vegas. What is spent in PG stays in PG. Maybe the real estate agents selling homes in PG to out of towners should be legally obligated to warn potential new residents of our credit card happy city council.

Posted by: Rainbow on May 12 2009 5:37 PM

I am very disappointed with mayor and council. Whatever happened to all of those campaign promises about fiscal responsibility and keeping taxes as low as possible? Did they lie to get our votes?

Posted by: Truth on May 12 2009 8:24 PM

Let me be the first to say it: public entry is denied at cop vanity buildings; we get to pay for them and that is it.
We have to think of cop-shops as tomb-stones of liberty. Only the elite 1% gets direct benefit from RCMP ersatz-work. BC police administration is an open sewer.

Your local Crown Counsel will admit that 33% of Reports to Crown Counsel go back to cops for "more information." Read: the arrest was false. Too bad cops enjoy a spineless apologist class who see no evil in their dirty work and parasitism of public finance.

The late Richard Ericson, UBC researcher into cop cultures, found that cops use criminal codes as a "residual resource" in their targeting of "social marginals." At one Office of the Police Complaint Commission hearing that I attended, an accused cop said that the "Justice Institute" trained him to think beyond the law, and enforce a "Ways and Means Act" against their enemy. In Vancouver, 100% of cop critics have been jailed at one time or another. And that is not merely political protesters; that includes prominent attornies.

Cops are totally out of control. They contribute ZERO to public safety. As soon as we end the 45 for 25 pension extortion, the closer will we be to taking them down a few notches.

By the way, Canwest has been granted yet another deferral viz payment of their $4,000,000,000 debt. They can't pay that; already the Times-Colonist has cut back staff, and are no longer publishing on Monday. Most Canwest pundits have done less media work than production of resumes for possible employment at Gordo's 250 member Public Affairs Bureau. Objectivity is a thought-crime at Canwest truth-pits.

http://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=asper+nation

Posted by: Truth on May 12 2009 8:25 PM

Thanks for the pic of the Manitoba RCMPit. It will make a nice addition to the University.

Posted by: Jaws on May 12 2009 10:14 PM

Now I don't love the idea of paying 46 mil for this thing but sadly in todays construction climate this seems to be the going rate. Ft Mac's new RCMP building ... 43.6 million. And it's actually smaller than the one proposed by city hall.
Here's a link.

http://www.woodbuffalo.ab.ca/residents/infrastructure_projects/RCMP_detachment.asp?subnav=46

I think what needs to be asked is does this building have to be built to LEEDS standards. That usually adds at least 25% to the overall costs.

Posted by: Truth on May 13 2009 11:31 AM

Again, let the donut dunkers set up in a Tim Horton's. That is where you can find them, unless they need to snooze behind a building.

We need to chose our heroes better. Cop-sloth is an exclusive club. In order to get hired, cop recruiters insist that the candidate provide 25 references. Unless most of same are cops, the applicant doesn't get the pseudo job. The best candidates are: wife beaters, pathological liars, and sociopaths.

http://behindthebluewall.blogspot.com/

If you want to beat your wife with impunity, become a blue slug.

Posted by: chilako-pete on May 13 2009 9:23 PM

Oh the anger Truthie, why don't you channel your hatred into something useful to society? Gainful employment may settle you down.

Posted by: gus on May 13 2009 10:00 PM

I see why the architects are saying that the roof is designed to look like an ice jam.....

The new RCMP museum was designed to look like a Prairie snow drift.

Luckily we are not the ones to get a building that looks like an ice fishing hole. Thet'll be left for the next community to build an RCMP building.

http://canada.archiseek.com/news/2007/000145.html