Back to SearchCity of Peterborough to acquire property for a second police facility
Key details
- City of Peterborough will acquire 1421 Lansdowne St. W. for a second Peterborough Police Services facility for its administrative functions with police operations remaining at its downtown facility at 500 Water St.
- The purchase price of $15 million along with future renovations is an economical choice compared to the estimated $68 million in 2017 to build a new police station
- Calvary Pentecostal Church will continue to use part of the building for up to five years, as part of the sale agreement
- Renovations to the building are anticipated to take a few years to complete, depending on future Council approvals and budget requests
- Property and building are large enough to accommodate additional future uses for City of Peterborough municipal services
Peterborough, ON – The City of Peterborough is making a strategic property purchase, acquiring 1421 Lansdowne St. W. for Peterborough Police Service administrative offices with police operations remaining in its downtown facility at 500 Water St.
The Calvary Pentecostal Church property is 13.3 acres in size, including a building with about 106,000 square feet of space.
The sprawling former Johnston & Johnston Medical Products facility will be able to accommodate Peterborough Police Service administrative offices as well as be subdivided to potentially include other future uses, including City of Peterborough municipal facility needs.
The City will acquire the property for $15 million. The transaction will close in February 2024.
By acquiring 1421 Lansdowne St. W., the City of Peterborough is addressing a long-standing need to meet growing space requirements for policing in the community in a way that is fiscally responsible and strategic, Mayor Jeff Leal said.
“A new police station was estimated to cost $68 million in 2017. The property and construction costs would be much higher today. With the former Johnston & Johnston property acquisition, we’re able to maintain the downtown police station on Water Street for police operations, add a second police facility for administrative and support services, and have additional land and building space for other municipal needs,” Leal said. “Even with the future renovation costs, this is the most financially responsible path, addressing a critical need.”
As part of the sale of the property, Calvary Pentecostal Church will continue to use part of the building for up to five years.
Renovations are expected to take place over the next few years, subject to City Council approval. Estimates on facility renovations will be the subject of future reports and budget requests to Council.
“Through the joint City-Police facility review process, the thinking on how to meet the need for a new facility for the Police Service evolved from where it started, which was to focus on one new building,” said Police Chief Stu Betts.
“With the City of Peterborough purchase of this property, the Peterborough Police Service will have two locations. This is important as the city is growing and will continue to grow,” Betts said. “It is also the most fiscally responsible solution and is intended to meet the needs of the Police Service for decades. It’s expected that the costs of the renovations will be significantly less than the cost of a new-build facility. Securing this property and being respectful of financial constraints was important to me and the Police Services Board.
“I strongly believe the presence of a police facility in the downtown area is a must. There is no intention to leave the 500 Water Street location. The current location at 500 Water Street will continue to be the base of operations and investigations.”
As part of the police facility review process, the joint Police-City committee engaged a consultant to identify downtown locations that could accommodate a single, purpose-built police facility. None of the identified sites were available and the cost to acquire them and demolish existing infrastructure to build a new facility was unacceptable. When the Calvary Pentecostal Church property became available, the committee considered the unique opportunity while also maintaining the downtown police facility. Chief Betts has previous experience working in a police organization with multiple locations which will assist with the transition to this police service delivery model.
For Calvary Pentecostal Church, the agreement to allow the Church to use part of the building for up to five years following the sale will provide the Church with time to plan for the transition.
“Calvary Church is pleased with the recent sale of our church property and is looking forward to how it will benefit all parties involved including the greater community. It has been a very positive experience working with the City of Peterborough and the Peterborough Police Service through the negotiation process. We look forward to bright days ahead for Calvary Church and those overseeing the development of the city we are called to serve,” said Pastor Michelle Mercer with Calvary Church.
Video of Media Conference on Friday, December 15, 2023:
Speakers: Mayor Jeff Leal; Stuart Betts, Chief of Police; Michelle Mercer, Pastor Calvary Church
Sandra Dueck
Corporate Communications Coordinator
sdueck@peterborough.ca
705-876-1122 x217
or
Sharron Hayton
Customer Service Program Manager
City of Peterborough
shayton@peterborough.ca
705-742-7777 x1868
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