Proposed $180M police HQ project needs ‘serious scrutiny’: Halifax mayor - BERITAJA

There is wide statement that Halifax Regional Police needs a caller home, but concerns are being raised about really overmuch a caller office for the constabulary unit could costs taxpayers.

From the property of the building to ratio and information concerns, 1975 Gottingen St. is nary longer serving the needs of HRP.

Options for the caller headquarters were discussed during the Police Board of Commissioners gathering past week.

There are 3 imaginable sites shortlisted for the caller facility: Gottingen Street successful northbound extremity Halifax, Cowie Hill successful Halifax and Burnside Industrial Park successful Dartmouth.

According to Republic Architecture, the group that won the task tender, each 3 sites are coagulated contenders and a draught needs appraisal is expected to beryllium completed this month.

It’s estimated the costs of a caller HQ could scope $180 cardinal complete a seven-year period, and for committee member, Coun. Tony Mancini, that value tag is excessively steep.

“It’s complete 50 years old, and for a modern constabulary force, it’s not doing the job. It needs to beryllium replaced, but it is concerning that value tag,” said Mancini.

“We person truthful galore projects correct now (including the) Halifax Forum astatine $120 million. We request 2 aliases 3 caller occurrence stations. They’re $10 to $15 cardinal each. We request each kinds of rec facilities, 50 metre excavation and the database goes on. We can’t do it.”

It’s a sentiment shared by Mayor Andry Fillmore, who acknowledges Halifax constabulary request accommodation to support modern policing but says the costs estimate is concerning.

“A $180-million connection deserves superior scrutiny,” he said successful a statement.

“Before Council is asked to make decisions of that scale, I want assurance that each action has been explored, including phased approaches, shared facilities, distributed models, partnerships, modernization of existing assets and opportunities to trim wide cost.”

Mancini says if the caller office came to location assembly coming pinch that value tag, he couldn’t spot it passing.

“There is simply a study that’s going connected correct now and erstwhile that study comes back, we’ll person much information,” he said.

“So we could person further speech and whitethorn person an opportunity to commencement looking astatine early imaginable designs astatine that constituent successful time.”