It’s 14 years in the making.
Ontario Community Safety and Corrections Services Minister Rick Bartolucci, Huron Bruce Liberal MPP Carol Mitchell and Kincardine Deputy Mayor Laura Haight joined OPP Deputy Commissioner Chris Lewis, OPP Western Region Superintendent Greg Skinner, and South Bruce OPP Detachment Commander Paul Holmes to officially open the new 10 thousand square-foot South Bruce OPP detachment building at a ribbon-cutting ceremony today in Kincardine.
Holmes says plans for the new building have been in the works since 1994.
He says the new building — which opened in November of 2007 — costs roughly $3.5 million and the work was done well under budget.
He says conditions at the old 3,500 square-foot building on Highway 21 on the north end of town were starting to wear down.
He says space was becoming limited as they brought in more staff and even snakes and rats were spotted in the old building.
Holmes says the new building — located on Kincardine Avenue just west of Highway 21 on the south end of town — quickly boosted staff morale.
He says it is amazing what bricks and mortar can do.
Holmes says the reason it took so long for the new station to open was that the government didn’t have the money to build every new OPP station required in Ontario.
Holmes says the new building will also accommodate Victims Services of Bruce Grey and Owen Sound.
He says that is the one thing they wanted to have when designing the new building and having them in there builds relationships between officers and volunteers with Victims Services.
He says they are able to work together to look after people who are victims of crime or other tragic circumstances.
Lewis says the Ontario Provincial Police have opened several new detachments over the years and it will be the most modern of any OPP station out there.
There were questions raised about a new detachment building for Walkerton.
Lewis says due to the lack of funding, construction for new buildings are given on a priority basis adding other OPP detachments including Walkerton are in the same situation Kincardine was in.
