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| The City of Prince Rupert has still to yet outline what it's plan is towards replacement of the RCMP detachment |
Last week's City of Prince Rupert Budget Presentation brought out the annual note from the City's Financial Officer that the long anticipated, but yet to be delivered New RCMP detachment is still on the minds of the city's Mayor and Council members.
Even if, as is the case, they haven't provided much of an update on the progress for the plan in a number of years.
Ms. Bomben's notes, a precursor it seems to the day sometime in the future when the City will need to take out a loan for the building, echoed somewhat of a familiar theme for Budget preparation time from years past.
Occasions where the topic makes for some urgency in March and then slides off the radar for the most part for the rest of the year.
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
Each of the presentations or council commentaries making for a variation to the theme delivered in March of 2013 which notes the following:
"Council recognizes that we need a new fire hall and police station, but that we cannot build them at this time. We commit to looking for a variety of monies to earmark for these buildings, including new tax revenue, corporate donations and land sales"
That positioning statement has pretty well be the city's default response since the issue came up for discussion close to ten years, a can that has been kicked down the road for much of the last decade.
As has been noted over the last few years and gained some prominence in 2015, the RCMP is at the moment in the position to go ahead and select their own site and build their own building anytime it wants, sending the bill to City Hall upon completion.
It would seem it's only through a sense of good citizenship that the RCMP does not go ahead and do just that.
Though they probably would prefer that the city be a little more expansive on their plans to remedy the now near ten years of telling everyone we have to build a new station, then proceeding to move on to any number of other projects instead.
In 2018, following his acclamation to office, Mayor Lee Brain delivered in effect what was his victory speech to the weekly paper, noting how infrastructure was a key theme for Council and how the city had two sites in mind for a location for the future detachment, sites never disclosed to the public since those notes.
2018 was also the last time that the City offered up a target date for the opening of a new facility, noting at the time how land was to be secured in 2020, the building to be constructed by 2023.
Considering some of the curious decisions on property Council has made of late, with little in the way of discussion or explanation, it's puzzling why they can't find some progress towards a new detachment and show a little good faith and a little more information.
Towards an update, City Council members could use some of their underused public session time to outline where a new detachment is going to be built, when it's going to be built and what the city's plan towards paying for it will be.
Some of the past history towards the theme of the new detachment is just over the horizon can be found below:
2017
June -- Prince Rupert's COP COOP chickens come home to roost
2016
October -- Road Closure application suggests decision on New Prince Rupert RCMP detachment may be near
2015
March -- City looks to pick up RCMP detachment replacement issue where they left off in 2012
February -- RCMP deliver final letter related to new detachment requirements
2013
March -- City Council clicks its heels and hopes for the best
2012
December -- City Council kicks the emergency services building debate down the road
March -- The residents are rumbling
March -- Discussion begins on emergency services replacement building
For more items of note Council themes see our Council Discussion archive page.
Cross posted from the North Coast Review.
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