The 300 members of the Guelph Police Service could soon be operating out of a renovated headquarters.
A $13.6-million renovation for the Wyndham Street building has already been approved and planned for some time.
The city’s police services board approved a further $20-million expansion Thursday, bringing the total project cost to nearly $34 million.
“The architect basically came to us and said ‘This is not a wise decision, to spend the $13.6 million. Your building needs a lot of other pieces,” Chief Bryan Larkin tells CTV News.
The original reno plan called for a new west wing to be added to the building, including a cell block and some indoor parking.
Under the new plan, an east wing and fourth floor would also be added, with the building – last renovated in 1991 – fitted for possible fifth and sixth floors in the future.
“The $20 million really is about designing a facility that will meet the policing needs of the City of Guelph for the next 20 years, but it also allows for expansion,” says Larkin.
“The real plan is about the next 50 years.”
Kirsten Hand, the GPS financial services manager, says one of the deficiencies that would be addressed by the renovation is secure prisoner transport.
“When the prisoner transport truck comes, it has to park outside,” she says.
“You’ve got prisoners walking through an unsecured area where, potentially, the public is walking.
The $20-million renovation plan must still be approved by Guelph city councillors, who will have their say in September.
If approved, construction would start in 2014 and wrap up in 2017.
