Princeton should be home to a new RCMP detachment in the next three to five years, according to Sergeant Barry Kennedy.
“I have been notified that we are the next detachment to be built in the province,” said Kennedy in an interview with The Spotlight. The estimated cost of the project, at this time, is $12 million.
“They are at the stage of deciding where the detachment is going to go. It would appear that its current location is the preferred spot, basically because of the size of the land required…There’s not that many places in town that can fulfill that.”
The RCMP leases its property from the Upper Similkameen Indian Band, and there are 50 years left on that agreement, he added.
Kennedy said a new detachment building will include more office space, better access for the public and upgrades to the cell block and exhibits room.
“There are problems with this building, not structurally but capacity problems, heating problems, air circulation problems.” The present building was constructed in the mid-sixties.
If the detachment is built at the existing location on Highway 3, it may be able to be placed between the current building and the road. In that case RCMP could continue to utilize the “old” building until the new one is completed.
The alternative, said Kennedy, would be to demolish the old building before beginning construction and temporarily house the detachment at a different location.