By Kellah Lavoie

New RCMP building underway

May 16, 2011 | 9:51 AM

Ground is broken on Prince Albert’s new RCMP detachment.

It will serve as a home for the detachment – where members have their offices and the general public can come with enquiries – and for traffic services, said Cpl. Rob King, RCMP spokesman.

The 950-square-metre building will be one-story with a basement and a mechanical area at the top of the building.

“We’re going to keep two buildings, the first building is going to become the headquarters for the district management and do more admin things and thing like that,” he said.

The old RCMP building on Ninth Avenue West in Prince Albert will contain some specialty services, King said.

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There is no timeline for the building at this point.

“(It’s) impossible to say with a construction project … Once you start digging the dirt you never know what you are going to find,” King said.

The detachment is 34 years old and while it is serving its purpose, operational needs brought about the new project.

“We’re always expanding always acquiring more tools and equipment as technology changes there is new modernizations … sometime the old building just doesn’t fit the current standards anymore,” he said.

King is unsure of when plans started for the new building, but said it usually take years before a project gets off the ground.

The new site is located in the north industrial area, just off Highway 2 and is expected to cost $5.47 million.

Core Rock & Dirt and Graham Construction have been on site for excavation work in preparation for basement construction to begin.

klavoie@panow.com