Kenora OPP still waiting on new detachment

Still no timeline for the construction of a new Ontario Provincial Police detachment in Kenora.

Inspector Jeff Duggan says the new detachment is badly needed.

“I’m hopeful they’ll break ground at some point in the very near future,” Duggan told Kenora city council during a presentation at the Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday.

“That building will be 48,000 square feet and it will only be for operations, so, that will just be for our detachment. It won’t be Water Street, it won’t be in-service training, it won’t be Ident, that will only be for our operations.”

Duggan adds the new building will be more than welcome.

“The current one we’re at is 12,000 square feet. It’s busting at the seams. We have to start buying ATCO trailers. That’s not going to cost the municipality. But the new building…we’ve been approved…but all that information has been embargoed. We don’t know when that is happening.”

A piece of property has been purchased in Rideout across the street from the land ambulance base.