City cycles back to Old Ex Grounds as first pick for North District Winnipeg police station

It was a first choice that withered under criticism, but theOld Exhibition Grounds is now back on the table as the recommended location for the Winnipeg Police Service'sNorth District station.

A report to the city's executive policy committee says the property at80 Sinclair St.is the optimal site to build a much-needed police station for the northern portion of the city.

The old station at 260 Hartford Ave. is "well beyond its end-of-service life, does not meet current operational requirements, and the building is in poor condition with the potential of an abrupt closure," according to the report.

The Old Ex site was originally favoured by the public service as the optimal location, but the design would have meant pushing out theNorth Nomads football club and others who use the facilities on the property.

The new station can be built without driving sports teams fromthe nearby fields, the latest report says.

City staff say"a revised, optimized site design which would reduce the footprint of the development would be the most cost-effective option," and would allow the football club to continue using the field.

The proposal would mean separatinga new archival and exhibit building, originallyscheduledto built along with the police station. That plan would be pushed to a later date and a different site.

The city considered alternative locations for the police station, going as far as getting two proposals for private land.

The cost for thislatest proposal is estimated at$23.4 million, withadditional debt financingof $2.3 million.

The planwould see the city tear down a building it owns on 100 Sinclair Ave., currently housing the administrative offices of the Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport Achievement Centre.

Those would be moved to aredeveloped Old Ex building, where the centrealready runs its programming.

The report says savings from the revised site design, and not having to purchase private land for the police station, would net the city$5.93 million, which would be used for the refurbishment of the Old Ex building.

Executive policy committee is scheduled to discuss the report at its meeting next Wednesday.