Cranbrook City Council has approved an additional $150,000 to upgrade the aging RCMP building.
The money will come from Cranbrook’s Facilities Reserve and be used to pay for the building’s design work.
“Completing the design will enable staff to break down and cost components of the project more accurately as well as allow for a comprehensive design,” said Tony Hetu, Public Works director.
“Integrity and quality of the design will ensure the long-term success of the project.”
The upgrades are needed to prolong the building’s lifespan and ensure the RCMP can continue their operations smoothly.
“A September 2022 engineering report has identified major structural repairs that need to be addressed within the next one to five years at the time the report was written,” said Hetu.
“Additionally, an RCMP departmental review has identified 23 security risks.”
Hetu says failing to complete the design work will lead to a more expensive project with a longer waiting time for upgrades to be completed.
“If the design is not complete the team will disband, leading to higher costs and delays if the project is restarted,” said Hetu.
“The project is currently well within budget as design budgets are estimated at 12 per cent of the total project budget.”
Council member Lynnette Wray says the design will be helpful for the city’s budgeting process.
“To get the full value of the money we already put into this and to have a useful plan, we need to spend this $150,000,” said Wray.
“This is the reality of asset management: it’s a building that needs some work done with structural and security issues. We need to get this across the line and spend this money so we can get a usable plan.”
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