RCMP Building Estimate Now $44.7 Million

Monday, December 14, 2009 08:49 PM

Prince George, B.C.- The construction drawings for the new RCMP building are now 90% complete, and Dominion Fairmile, the company with the design contract, now estimates the cost to build the structure at 4th and Victoria to be $44,769,033. That is $1,882,798. less than the original estimate.

Dominion Fairmile indicates that further savings in the order of 3 – 5% could be realized as a result of the competitive tendering process for the sub-trade packages.

At a size of 5913 sq metres with a parkade level ( including ramp) of 3592 sq metres, the construction cost per square metre for the building, parkade, and the Emergency Operations Centre is $3,646 per square metre.

Councilor Debora Munoz asked if a cost analysis was ever done on renovating the existing RCMP facility and she was told a study was done in 2000. Greg Anderson who is in charge of this project, told Council the cost to renovate the existing facility and expand to a site next door came in over and above the estimated cost of a new facility. Councilor Dave Wilbur says it was his understanding the scope of that study indicated that a new facility would have cost $12 million dollars.

Four Councilors, Don Bassermann, Cameron Stolz, Brian Skakun and Dave Wilbur will work with designers and staff to develop a financial plan for the project.

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Posted on Monday, December 14, 2009 08:49 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: northernjoe on December 14 2009 9:19 PM

Really.... WTF
This bunch have not a clue, my sympathies to the residents of the city of PG, you folks are being royally screwed.

It would be nice that when I'm in town I don't need an insurance claim for the damage your roads cause to my vehicle....

44.5 mill fills a few potholes, and really, what is wrong with a 40 year old building? It's amazing what a new coat of paint will do, and it's a police station for goodness sakes, suck it up, buttercup!

Posted by: diplomat on December 14 2009 9:37 PM

"Greg Anderson who is in charge of this project, told Council the cost to renovate the existing facility and expand to a site next door came in over and above the estimated cost of a new facility."

I am sure that a complete study was conducted beforehand. Complete, as in complete with renovation drawings, construction costs etc.

Did the councillors ask to see this complete study and how much a renovation would cost down to the last one thousand dollars?

I bet they did not.

As usual the council meeting had hardly any sound at all! I tried on three different TV sets - almost inaudible even at the highest volume...lots of background noise, tinny tiny voices...

Finally I got tired of lip reading and switched to a channel with real audio!

Posted by: Denaljo on December 14 2009 9:50 PM

In this New age of telephones ,walkie-talkies, teletypes etc. ; why not have 3 or 4 satellite copshops? 1 on the Hart, 1 up College Heights way and at least 2 or maybe 3 in Pineview. We could use a Timmys' in the View.

Posted by: govsux on December 15 2009 12:53 AM

Should've took the CHANCE$ building?

Posted by: gus on December 15 2009 3:38 AM

There are a couple of specialized areas in an RCMP station, including a surrounding safety zone which is difficult to penetrate with a vehicle. Other than that, it is simply an office building.

It will, I am sure, not even be as secure as the US Embassy to Canada - bullet proof glass and concrete blast barriers.

http://image18.webshots.com/18/9/15/27/209091527aEUyGJ_fs.jpg

Posted by: acrider54 on December 15 2009 5:38 AM

To comment what I believe I would be thrown off the site. Idiots!

Posted by: Free Enterprise on December 15 2009 7:46 AM

I think its great the RCMP are getting a new building. Long over due.

Posted by: Superheated Steam on December 15 2009 7:56 AM

I don't think most of us are protesting about a new building, but the timing of the new building. Seems to me when times are tough, as they are now, we show some constraint. When times get better, ie later when more money is coming in, then you can spend a little more. At a time when council is raising taxes because they cannot afford the ridiculously high budget they already have, then I don't think it is a time to spend more money.

Posted by: metalman on December 15 2009 8:43 AM

I do not believe for one minute that Greg Anderson, his masters, or any of their minions actually and seriously considered renovating the existing cop shop on Brunswick St.
To do so would require fiscal responsibility, imagination, and the ability or desire to listen to the electorate. The location on Victoria St. is the one for them, for some reason.
metalman.

Posted by: IMO on December 15 2009 9:00 AM

What I don’t understand is why they built the Fort Knox building that used to be Kal Tire on 22nd. I thought the whole reason for the new 50 million dollar building was to put all the police in one building. Was that not one of their issues? I mean this place even has a workout room with state of the art work out equipment. I agree with Superheated. Now is not the time but as usual the people who pay the way have no say. PG was marked as one of the highest spenders in BC. Our Provincial government is on a spending spree and our Federal government is trying to take control of our taxation. Our constitution clearly states that the Federal government is not to tax the people directly. Only the provincial government has that power, but Campbell is selling that off along with everything else. We have the carbon tax increasing right after the HST. Now Hydro is planning to triple their services because the US needs more hydro. IMO BC should look after the people who live in BC and sell off anything left over. We pay more for our natural gas than the Americans and now Hydro will be the same. I would like to know why the Americans always get OUR resources cheaper??? Getting rid of the middle class becomes reality verses conspiracy as time goes on.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on December 15 2009 9:22 AM

Well said IMO!

Posted by: socredible on December 15 2009 10:32 AM

IMO:-"I would like to know why the Americans always get OUR resources cheaper???"
===========================================

Because under the current financial system every industrialised country HAS to do what NO industrialised country should ever realistically have to do ~ import some other country's "money" to live.

Posted by: Harbinger on December 15 2009 1:06 PM

I can't see any need for jail cells being built within the new cop shop. Deduct that from the cost. 99% of those arrested are released on their own recognizance with a promise to appear. Very expensive joke, methinks.

Posted by: gus on December 15 2009 4:13 PM

I got an idea from the postings on the Enbridge story.

The City should oppose the Enbridge pipeline.

Then make a deal with Enbridge that the City might support it if Enbridge pays for the police station.

What is good for First Nations should be good for the City.

Posted by: NMG on December 15 2009 11:21 PM

It's my understanding that this project will have to go through the counter petition process (and then a referendum if the counter petition is sucessful) before the funding will be approved.

If that is the case, I'll be signing the counter petition and voting no if and when a referendum occurs. I don't have a problem so much with the need for a new or updated facility, but I'm not comfortable that enough due dilligence has been done in regards to rennovating the exisiting station. Truth be told, even if the cost estimates were reasonable and a brand new station were needed, I'd vote no simply because the proposed location is wrong and extremely short sighted. I know that location is not the issue that would be specifically addressed with the counter petition and referendum, however, that process certainly could be used to show displeasure with the proposed location . . .

Posted by: Eagleone on December 16 2009 6:56 AM

I agree with NMG and can't wait till I can have a vote to say no to this huge tax cost to PG home owners. The location is wrong and it won't get my support for that reason alone.

Also I too feel no due diligence has been done to find the best alternative, and they forget the fact that PG has been declining in population for at least 15 straight years. So I fail to understand why this is such an urgent project in times of recession when 15% of the jobs in this town disappeared last year?

Posted by: samiam on December 16 2009 10:25 AM

and you wonder why they want to take away our "GUNS".

Wake up CANADA! I say "WAKE UP", to the people that pay the BILLS in this Country. That would be you and me, not these thieves in all levels of Government in this Country. It is far time that we stood up, and made these theiving politicians accountable for the huge money they earn, on the backs of our meger wages!

Proud to be Canadian??? Well you better get started soon. Stand up and yell at the top of the mountain, "WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH"!

It is time we took our country back.

this is one "WHITE PERSON'S OPPINION"

Posted by: metalman on December 16 2009 5:15 PM

All those honest tax paying citizens of Canada who are not satisfied with governments' handling of tax dollars;
Join the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
They are a non profit group supported by donations from membership and they lobby government for us. On our behalf, they keep after the various arms of governments in an attempt to ensure fairness and transparency, and to expose waste in spending our tax dollars. The CTF is our voice in Ottawa, Victoria, etc. They go after what we, the membership, tell them to, and stay on it until they get results. Regular surveys of the membership help them stay focused on the issues
I have been a member for twelve years and consider the yearly donation as money well spent. Anything over $100.00 is also tax deductible. Who can join? Individuals, businesses small and large.
www.taxpayer.com
metalman.

Posted by: uyterlindekel on December 16 2009 5:39 PM

Who on earth needs a $44 mil ANYTHING? I have no problem with needing a new building and having a fitness room and stuff like that, but no one needs to waste that much money on anything. Why is it when something is funded with the publics money, no effort is make to be wise?