Cape Breton police looking to take over former RCMP building for $1

Cape Breton police are looking to take over a former RCMP detachment in Reserve Mines. (Source: Google Maps)

The Cape Breton Regional Police is negotiating with the federal government to take over a former RCMP detachment in Reserve Mines, N.S., for $1.

The building, located at 1795 Grand Lake Rd., was operational from the 1980s to 2011. Police Chief Robert Walsh says the roughly six-acre property could help the police force address its operational needs and expand some of its services.

“It’s built for police use,” Walsh said during a Committee of the Whole meeting last month. “It’s a gated compound that’s secure, there’s space for vehicle storage, a weapons vault, holding cells.”

The police force got approval from the committee and Cape Breton council to engage the federal government in negotiations to acquire the property for a nominal fee of one dollar.

“We’ve asked they consider purchase for a nominal fee in the interest the building be used for community needs and public safety,” Walsh said in an interview. “We await their response.

“We hope to hear back soon so we can go back to mayor and council for final approval and take occupancy ideally by the end of April.”

According to ViewPoint, a Nova Scotia real estate brokerage, the property at 1795 Grand Lake Rd. was built in 1987 and has a current assessed value of $535,300. It is located near the J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport.

Walsh said they would use the former RCMP detachment to streamline their services and move things from multiple spaces into one building.

“There’s overflow capacity for holding cells…extra storage space, a backup generator on site for continuity of service,” he said. “It would localize a lot of these support teams and it would alleviate pressures on our existing facilities.

“It just makes sense to explore this opportunity.”

According to the Cape Breton Regional Municipality website, police have a central detachment at 865 Grand Lake Rd., which is roughly 7.5 kilometres from the former RCMP building.

It also has an east detachment in Glace Bay and a north detachment in North Sydney.

Walsh said the 1795 Grand Lake Rd. building is the only property police are currently considering for a potential purchase.

“It has been maintained,” he said. “There would be some recommended improvements like more efficient heating solutions and paint. They could be addressed over time.

“The building is a ready solution.”

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