Winnipeg breaks ground on new $12M police station

The first new police facility in Winnipeg in 40 years is under construction in the Transcona area of the city.

City officials put gold shovels into the ground Thursday to celebrate the construction of the $12-million East District Police Station on Dugald Road.

The $12-million East District Police Station on Dugald Road will replace existing stations in Transcona and St. Boniface.

The 32,000-square-foot station is one of four that will be builtunder the city's plans to shrink the number of police districts from six to four.

When the proposal was introduced, Transcona Con. Russ Wyatt was a vocal opponent. But he's now on board, saying the new facility will be good for his ward.

"I'm still a believer that there still should be a strong police presence in every community in the city," he said.

"I think the crucial thing is that if we build a facility, I want to ensure and I would like to see that we have the resources in all communities, not just downtown and the inner city."

Current police district stations predate the 1971Unicity amalgamation of police services, with the last police building, the Public Safety Building,erected in 1966.

The east district station will be built using a public-private partnership, under which a private contractor builds, runs or maintains the capital project, and the city pays the company an annual fee.

Mayor Sam Katz estimated the "P3" arrangement could save the city between $1.5 million and $3 million.

The station is expected to open by the fall of 2009.

The Transcona area is also home to a new fire station, on Regent Avenue at Starlight Drive.

Station No. 21 will have a grand-opening celebration Saturday from 11 a.m to 4 p.m. CT,offering tours, refreshments and demonstrations.