The North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP could soon be getting a new home after the North Cowichan district agreed to proceed with plans to build a new detachment on municipal property.
The new building at Ford Road and Drinkwater Road would house municipal and provincial police along with forensic identification services, South Island traffic services and First Nations police.
The move would require federal approval from the RCMP and the signing of a new occupancy agreement with the municipality.
“The existing North Cowichan/Duncan detachment is well past the end of its life,” said North Cowichan Mayor Al Siebring in a news release Wednesday.
“The building has had ongoing issues with rodents, leaking, flooding, and lack of adequate space. The detachment was originally scheduled to be replaced in 2012, but has faced multiple delays. Council is very pleased to see the project moving forward.”
The new integrated North Cowichan/Duncan detachment would be built by North Cowichan, and the RCMP would be billed for its portion of the costs, according to the municipality.
Municipal staff are beginning to work on preliminary designs for the building to confirm estimated construction costs.
The RCMP will work with the municipality to develop a design for the building to ensure the building will meet the needs of the police and citizens for the next 50 years, according to the release.
Once preliminary designs and construction cost estimates are confirmed, the North Cowichan district will ask voters for permission to borrow the money to construct the building. That thumbs up may be sought before the end of 2019, according to the municipality.
