Posted By Kyle Rea, TIMES-JOURNAL STAFF

A new police headquarters for St. Thomas now awaits word on a three-way government grant which could be coming down later this month.

But if it doesn't, it could leave a new home for the St. Thomas Police Service in limbo.

At the end of November, the city applied for a grant through the Building Canada fund, an infrastructure investment program whereby the provincial, federal and municipal governments contribute one-third of the cost toward a project. A new police headquarters was identified as council's top infrastructure priority.

"We won't know how much we'll get until the upper tier governments review it," said Ald. Dave Warden, chairman of the city's police services board. "It would be a great announcement. St. Thomas needs some good news like that."

Neither a confirmed location nor a final cost estimate for a new headquarters has been calculated. Darrell Pinnell, St. Thomas deputy police chief, explained these details depend on the Building Canada grant.

"Everything with regard to the building committee ... land and some of those other acquisitions are hinging on the grant process. Nothing can be done until we have an answer and once the grant happens, those things can fall into place," he noted.

"Unfortunately, if the grant isn't successful, then some of the other pieces of the puzzle may not fall into place."

Pinnell said Elgin-Middlesex-London Liberal MPP Steve Peters, as well as federal Conservative MP Joe Preston, have written letters of support for the building.
 
Currently, the police are housed in the Colin McGregor Justice Building, which also accommodates the Ontario Court of Justice, administration, and Supreme Court offices.

A 2003 study estimated by 2020, the service will require 3,810 square metres (41,000 square feet). Currently, the police use 1,300 square metres (14,000 square feet).

A consultant hired by the city estimated that, with St. Thomas's population expected to hit 51,000 by 2032, the current complement of 60 officers and 22 civilians will need to increase to 129 over the next 25 years.

In its 2008 budget, council earmarked a $1.7 million surplus from 2007 with the intention of using that money for the construction of a new police headquarters. The facility reserve fund has now reached $4.6 million.