Council okays $150M plan for new Kamloops RCMP detachment; borrowing will require public assent

KAMLOOPS — The Battle Street RCMP detachment was built in 1990. At that time, it was expected to provide a home to the Kamloops Mounties for the next 10 years. Now 35 years later, the building intended to fit 85 occupants is bursting at the seams with approximately 150 officers and support staff.

In 2022, city council directed staff to bring back concepts for potential renovations to extend the life of the building. However, enhanced building codes and needed seismic upgrades stifled those ideas. On Tuesday (Feb. 11), council moved forward with a proposal to build a brand new detachment in the city, but the decision will still need the public’s assent.

A new five-storey RCMP detachment could soon rise from 560 Battle Street, designed to be home to Kamloops’ RCMP for the next 30-plus years.

“If it were built today, we are well beyond for capacity. It’s meant for that growth to evolve for the next 30 years or more, depending on what those needs are,” said Supt. Jeff Pelley, Kamloops RCMP detachment commander. “That is where we are trying to find that delicate balance. It is hard to project for 30 years, but at the same time, it allowed us to project beyond a 10- or 15-year (window) and be back into this situation.”

Committee of the Whole approved a recommendation to direct staff to return with a borrowing bylaw for up to $150.7 million, but not before questioning the overall scope of the project.

RCMP Detachment Rendering (image credit – CFJC Today)

“It feels to me that the wrong question to be asking right now is, ‘How do we spend more money?’ especially because this project is coming in front of us already with a big price tag. I don’t think the question our community wants us to be asking right now is, ‘How do we inflate the cost more?’” said Councillor Katie Neustaeter.

While councillors like Neustaeter looking to decrease costs, others were wondering if the new build will be big enough, even expressing support for potentially adding costs.

“I’m wondering if there is an opportunity that you have considered or looked at, where the footprint — because airspace is going to be at a premium in the future — where we couldn’t over-engineer a parkade so that you could put additional building space on top, and basically front the costs at this time for a future build?” asked Councillor Stephen Karpuk.

Staff highlighted while they did remove a sixth floor from the design, it remains somewhat future-proof.

“The way that we would design this thing is so that it’s easier to modify in the future. One of the problems that they have right now is lots of load-bearing walls in the way. It’s hard to create new areas,” said Matt Kachel, infrastructure delivery manager for the city of Kamloops. “Whereas now if we design it a different way, then we may not know what it’s going to look like in the future but it’s a little bit easier to modify for those who come after us to be able to do that.”

Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson noted he wasn’t against the new building, but wanted further investigation of funding help from upper levels of government, something he was told comes after this approval. Nevertheless, he voted in opposition.

“I can’t support it myself. I can support, obviously, building a new police station. I think that’s great. I think we do the ‘Cadillac’ version. I think we need federal and provincial money. I think a better location would be better,” said Hamer-Jackson prior to voting against the motion.

The approval from councillors moves the project to the public, as borrowing close to $150 million requires resident assent, either through a referendum or the alternative approval process.

No discussion on the timeline or method for an assent process was held on Tuesday. That will be made clear when staff returns with a bylaw at a future council meeting.