The push to renovate or replace Greater Sudbury Police headquarters downtown was delayed again Wednesday, as the police services board voted to hire a consultant to do a detailed review of what police need.
The decision comes almost a year after another consultant, KPMG, reviewed police operations as a whole and concluded that a new or renovated building was among the most pressing needs.
And another consultant, Yallowega/Belanger/Salach, did an analysis in 2014 of existing and potential sites that could be suitable for police.
The current headquarters on Brady Street was converted from office space in the 1990s. Since then, a number of long-term issues and conflicts have emerged.
For example, suspects, victims and even the media all ride in the same elevator. The only public meeting space is on the fifth floor, meaning anyone who attends has to be escorted from the main lobby and back again.
Mould is a growing issue, forcing staff to relocate while the problems are addressed, then move back again when it's cleaned up, until another problem is found. There's also a lack of proper training and other facilities.
Police CAO Sharon Baiden said when problems or challenges arise – such as the need to train officers on the new carbine rifles – they have to find temporary, Band-Aid solutions
“Everything we do is makeshift,” Baiden said Wednesday.
Last October, the board approved a plan to renovate the existing building at a cost of $18.4 million, which would extend the life of the current headquarters for another 20 years. The work would have been completed in three years, and the annual debt repayment over the next 25 years would be $900,000.
But when the plan went to city council for a vote, some councillors balked at the price tag and wanted police to take another look at using other city buildings in an attempt to bring down the price. They also wanted them to look at moving into a building with fire and EMS services.
Chief Paul Pedersen said they went through the process requested by council, but a suitable facility wasn't found. They looked at the former police building on Larch Street, old schools, the former transit garage, the former Red Cross building, the Lionel E. Lalonde Centre, among many other possible locations.
“Each one has not been suitable for our needs,” Pedersen said. “And at this time, the facilities for the Greater Sudbury Police Service are not adequate and require an immediate action plan to moved forward.”
Baiden said they had three options: the $18.4 million renovation plan; a new building that would cost $55 million; or hiring a consultant that specializes in assessing police facilities.
“I'm not so sure there's a public appetite for that,” Baiden said of a new building, although that would be ideal.
A new building would last about 50 years, she said, as opposed to 20 years for the renovation.
“It's not a long-term solution.”
In the end, the board voted to hire the consultant, at a cost of $150,000-$200,000, to do an assessment of the facility and recommend exactly what they need.
The consultant will begin work early in the new year, with a report expected some time in the middle of 2018, effectively pushing a decision until after the next municipal election.
