Wow, they took a really nice looking building and made it really ugly. What were they thinking? They took out all of the greenery and threw in cement. What a poor choice.

I am in favour of a new police station,but.
The process took to long 10 years.
The current site, chosen by the so called city fathers???Does not benefit the downtown.
Has any thought, been put into what happens, when the occupants of the drunk tank are released in the early morning hours.As to where they will go to urinate and defecate.
Just like a pinball they will stagger across Victoria St. and try and decide which Avenue to go down to get either a free meal , free fix or a free bed.Maybe another drink.
The logical place would have been on the city block between 1st & 2nd ave.Between George St. & Dominion St. Kitty corner to the Court House.
If you can build a court house on a 200 year flood plain why not a police station???.
That would have helped the downtown more.

just spend 5 million to renovate the old one.people renovated houses form the 1900s why cant they just renovate it and pimp it out.im sure 10 million to the existing cop building will just totally pimp it out

Guess what people. The thing is a done deed.

Give it 10 years and the place will be just another building across the street from "downtown". Twenty years will see the first major renovation, possibly with fixing the parking problem being created with Stolz's penny pinching.

Thirty years will start the thinking about a new station.

Same old, same old. It is the story of infrastructure that is built to some very fixed ways of thinking.

According to an interview broadcast on CBC radio Prince Rupert has a need for better RCMP quarters. The city is planning to build a new Emergency Services Building which will house the RCMP plus four or five other public agencies.

The matter will be put to a REFERENDUM (!) together with the upcoming usual voting in the municipal election.

Cost: Zero, and the citizens will actually be participating in deciding whether the city should do the project and borrow the money.

What a respectful and downright democratic way to go about it, eh?

Logical One - keep in mind that people in the drunk tank are not all homeless people living downtown. Most of them have lives to get back to after making a mistake, not wander downtown looking for a fix. Besides, what is the difference from where the police station is now?

See all the glass, think of the heating needed. Hello knock knock, city hall anyone in there with their CFL's on, we live in a northern city don't ya know.

So this is what we`re going to get. A nice fancy building with arches, odd-shaped windows, high ceilings, etc. (EXPENSIVE) Why can`t they be a little more conservative and practical instead of this "green" crap.

Why can`t they be a little more conservative and practical instead of this "green" crap.

Its called “Empire Building”. Our mandarins at city hall do not understand the word “maintenance”. The building that they are in now is a steel and concrete building and could last another 50 years . Instead we choose a prime downtown commercial location for the new one..

With the track record that the local RCMP have in fighting crime, and putting the city on the most wanted list they should be housed in the old city works yard on 4th avenue. And we should keep them bare foot so they don’t injure innocent people with their boots. To be really kind we could of let them use the present building that is now being demolished for the new empire building site..
Cheers

"See all the glass, think of the heating needed"

Modern glass has less heat loss/gain than glass from say 39 years ago.

Even in PG, the concern for cooling with that much glass might be more than the concern for heating since people + machinery + lighting typically generate enough heat to heat an office building other than in the coldest weather.

Besides, one really does not know what the structure is behind the glass curtain wall. Go to Vancouver and look at an all glass exterior at dusk and you will quickly see how much is window and how much is glass on the outside of an insulated panel/wall.

http://img.archiexpo.com/images_ae/photo-g/mullion-and-transom-curtain-walls-br-aluminium-and-glass-127653.jpg

I chose that picture on purpose so that you can see the non-transparent part of a typical curtain wall. All glass on exterior. If the white panels on the inside were charcoal coloured, it would be difficult to tell which part of the wall is transparent depending how the sun sits.

Money wasted on a fancy building instead of police resources. Any thoughts whose names will be on the brass plaque and where that plaque will wind up when the building falls down in thirty years.

a 2x6 Wall has a R20 Value, does anyone know of any Windows like it ? Do much Glass I say.

Our current RCMP Detachment is a joke compared to other cities (the facility not the officers). Even Quesnel's building looks better than our current building.

This new building will be built to the highest quality standards, so I'm sure we won't be seeing this building being demolished after 30 years. But I'm sure City Hall will be saying they wish they built a larger building to accommodate the growing population.

I wonder how much money will be spent over the next 30 years for snow removal on this expanded parking lot - compared to the cost of deleting the parkade.

and again I wonder why they didn't take up on the corner of 20th and Victoria the old car lot

"As to where they will go to urinate and defecate."

No problem. Just re-arrest them immediately and hit them with the proper charges and fines until they get the message.

"This new building will be built to the highest quality standards, so I'm sure we won't be seeing this building being demolished after 30 years."

How soon people forget the "leaky condo" and the jail that had to have a recladding after about 10 years ..... I can dig out a picture of the rusted steel studs of that building when they took the cladding off if you wish ......

That was built to BCBC standards which were VERY high. Except, they used new techniques which were unteted and they forgot all about the rainscreen principle so well described by the National Research Council in one of their first CBD (Canadian Building Digest) publications in the mid 1960s. Us old guys and gals were taught those then, but 30+ years later they forgot it in the lower mainland Architectural firms. It has been a VERY costly lesson.

We will see what lessons we will learn from the new generation of buildings that tend to rely more and more on structural elastomeric sealants to close joints between exterior glazing panels, for instance.

So what is wrong with having just an ordinary functional building, inexpensive to build, cheap to heat and easy to maintain? Am I the only one that feels this way? I am all for a new Cop Shop but come on, this isn`t Dubai. This is P.G. I love it here and we don`t need to go into deeper debt for fancy stuff.
I am Tractor and this is one man`s opinion

When did we all get our degress in design engineering, construction and or security. With the knowledge floating around this round table we should all apply at City for one or more of the engineering jobs that we can do oh so much better... Getagribreally its a done deal stop the wining/whimpering and move on to the next issue as I know it will pop up.. how about the 10 to 15 million dollar investment in the 2015 Canada Winter Games for pete sacs its only a two week event, or .... As for the RCMP Building - This horse has been beaten to death let it rest in peace

I still have a problem with it built "Downtown", the city's bigger.
AND I still have a problem with any EMERGENCY SERVICES being built on a flood plain. Don't think it will happen, but what "IF" Kenny Dam breaks.

With government buildings the argument is that the function last "forever", such as a school, University, City Hall, Library, Art Gallery, Public Safety building, Swimming Pool, etc.

With longer lasting buildings, one wants materials that will hold up longer and will be less expensive to maintain.

So, one needs to look at life cycle costing - taking ALL costs into consideration including Capital and Interest as well as Operating/Maintaining.

Of course, we know better that buildings last longer.

Take the police station. 40 years ago that was thought to be a building that would last, with some normal maintenance, of course, and a few additions over time. In fact, a bit of extra money was spent ot make the structure strong enough to carry a few extra floors and also provide for the bearing of a bridge to span Brunswick to another building and/or a parkade. In fact, like the jail, or even the Chances building downtown, one could re-clad the building on the outside to fix a problem or to fix the way a building looks.

Actually, Chances is a good example of how the Brunswick street building could get a whole new facade. They did not have to tear down the building to do that or to even add another floor inside and put partitions in and re-rerout he mecahnical system and re-locate lighting, etc.

But no, this is the City and they are spending public, not private money.

I think that a VERY good argument can be made to have a clean-cut, elegant, simple building without all the towers, and slanted walls, and 30 foot high open spaces inside, etc. etc. that are going to add $50 to $100/sf cost to a more spartan building.

In fact, there is a lot to be said for Police buildings to be more spartan. After all, it is not exactly a public building such as a library, city hall, art gallery, pool, civic centre, etc.

The Royal bank Building, the HSBC building, Scotia building, Telus building, TD Building .... they are all about the same vintage as the current police station. They have all had interior maintenance since those are tenant improvements as tenants move in and out. They have also had mechanical and electrical as well as communications upgrades along the way, as has the police station to some degree. Those buildings have held up quite well as expected.

Plaza 400 also is about 30 years old. It probably will look just as good in shape in another 30. Might look "old", but will still be in good maintence.

The "old" looking building is the downtown swimming pool. I suspect it will be ready for demolition in another decade or a very expensive overhall.

Now the Scotia building is getting an exterior facelift since the tiles are finally falling off. Not the best choice for exterior finish on a building. The TD building has also been re-clad about 10 years ago.

There are many old buildings the world over, some famous, some not so famous. The difference between the good ones and the not so good ones is that the good ones have been maintained.

I think a tilt up concrete building, such as the new electronics store across from Future Shop would do the trick. Get a good designer, and you would never know the difference. If some of you think that I am crazy, look at the new arts centre in Chilliwack. That is what it is, tilt up concrete.

http://www.thevalleyvoice.ca/Voice%20Stories/July%202010/Cultural%20Centre%20Tour%20July%2023%202010.htm

$25 million, two years ago ....

"When did we all get our degress in design engineering, construction and or security"

In 1970 ... how about you?

Pardon me but may I ask what the hell is a tilt up concrete building ? Could we use that type of construction fop a performing arts building? And Gus would yop design this structure for us so that it will last more then 40 years?
Cheers

So the question remains, why was the cop shop allowed to degrade?

If I remember way back the police station was also the court house and it has been renovated to the toon of millions plus.. Now lets look at nevovating it again.. two to three year reno cycle.. National security Standards for the new building to temporary house the exsisting police duties including cells as we all know we all can behave ourselves as such we will need those.. So reno the temporary building to the tune of lets be conservative 5 million before we even start to reno the current building.. by the looks of the structure a complete gut will have to be done redesign the cells maybe move them to the first floor - whoever designed a cellblock for the second floor and the use of a two person elevator to access it, should be placed in cells themselves - safety now a days for all. Additional space - adding an additional floor increasing structural support not to mention a complete upgrade of the heating and cooling system Estimated at being conservative - 20 million total price 25 + million and still a 40 year old building - compared to a smooth transfer of one building to the next 36 million ...Cost comparision Priceless.... Really

I think that we can all agree that this project is a done deal. It will go forward, and guess what. There is a pretty good chance that it will cost a hell of a lot more than the $40 Million they are projecting.

In any event between this project, the Winter Games, the community energy system, the Boundry Road cut-off, River road upgrade. We are looking at expenditures of approx $70 Million dollars and we are staring some pretty serious tax increases in the face.

This spending has sealed the fate of any chance for a performing arts centrein the near future. There will not be anymore money available for a long time to come.

Remember that the above expenditures were planned before the City had a clue (if they ever had a clue) that they would get the Winter Games, so now they have to come up with the additonal $10-$15 Million. Guess where they will get it.

Some interesting stats on police .

2005 Population 77,148, Auth Strengh 121 Pop per Police, 638, Total CC Offences 13,800, Crime Rate 179, Case Load 114, Total Cost $14,638,272.00 Cost per member $128,406, Cost per Capita 201.

2009 Population 74,547, Auth Strengh 128, Pop per Officer 582, CC Offences 12,091, Crime Rate 162, Case Load 94 Total Cost $18,145,861.00 Cost per Member $141,765, Cost per Capita $243.

These costs do not include the cost of the 50 support staff. Not sure if the three civilian jobs that replaced the police in the community policing program, are covered in support staff.

What the hell are they yakking about geothermal for. Aren't we spending a diaper load of money on this proposed heating system from Lakeland---or is that just another expenditure for no result. A police station of this granduer should really make the cops a lot more effective at fighting crime in the "crime capital" huh?

Thanks for the stats. Thic is the type of information we need to start with, then see what is behind the stats .... the reason why the cost went up and then do something about it to restrain the cost increases to normal infaltionary increases.

That kind of inforamtion should all be readily available to us. We are the ones paying. We need to know. Taht is more than just want to know.

How else are we going to know that we are getting a reasonable deal? We are paying for it. Council and City Staff are looking after our interests. I think most do not really realize that. At least, that is the feeling I have. And, it is getting worse.

If memory serves the parking garage was included in the original costing. Cutting this to avoid borrowing MORE than the 13 million in additional funds make the out of control spending even worse as we are getting less building for more money

Cutting the garage will mean police cars parking on the street- just like in their current location. After the current controversy has blown over, I can see them trying to dip into our pockets again to build it in a year or two.

I hope Palopu is correct in that the PAC is dead. We do not need another under utilized building that will not come close to cover it's costs.

I would have rather had a PAC then this. I hope in the least if there gonna blow all this money don't start trying to cut corners and do proper underground parking, heating system etc. If you are going to blow 30-40 million a couple more is a drop in the bucket. I'm hoping with the new spend like drunken sailors program down at city hall maybe we could get something of some use for the general population.

Drunken sailors spend their own money. Be nice to sailors.