New police station gets approval

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This article was published 27/07/2011 (5387 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The West District Police Station is one step closer to reality after a civic committee recently approved plans to restructure policing in south and west Winnipeg.    

On July 15, the executive policy committee approved subdivision and rezoning plans for a parcel of land at the future site of the station at 2325 Grant Ave.

The Tuxedo Golf and Teaching Centre is located north and west of the area earmarked for the station. Grant and Assiniboine Forest are south and Canadian Mennonite Boulevard is west across Shaftesbury Boulevard.

According to planning documents submitted by Number Ten Architectural Group, which were displayed at a recent public house, the new site will include 162 parking stalls for police cruisers and employees with 11 spaces for the public.

Area councillor Paula Havixbeck (Charleswood-Tuxedo) said the move is designed to amalgamate the existing District 2 station in St. James and the District 6 station in Fort Garry.

In July 2003, council approved restructuring the Winnipeg Police Service model from six to four districts. The East District Station was subsequently opened in Transcona in 2008.

The station — located on Dugald Road — combined the District 4 station on Pandora Avenue West and District 5 station on Provencher Boulevard.

“I think the new station will be close to the East District one in design, with some small modifications,” Havixbeck said, noting the move is good for the members of those respective communities.

“This will add more police presence, which will give people more peace of mind and security, and be great for the officers, who will have greater mobility. The current, old buildings have fallen into disrepair.”

Havixbeck added she hopes the new station will help the community re-establish a Neighbourhood Watch program.

“We’re hoping this could be a place for Neighbourhood Watch to meet. We’d like to rebuild that,” she said.

Marc Pellerin, vice-president of the Winnipeg Police Association, said that any plans to overhaul and modernize the current police system are long overdue.

“The District 2 and District 6 buildings are beyond anything that the police should be working in,” Pellerin said.

“The building in District 6 was built in the late 1940s and I don’t doubt that District 2 is the same vintage. These facilities are now completely inadequate.”

Pellegrin emphasized that District 6 is a “gigantic area” to police, and it continues to grow.

“Just look at all the expansions in places like Linden Ridge, Linden Woods and Whyte Ridge during the last 20 years. These areas are growing all the time.”    

Havixbeck said she doesn’t know exactly when work may begin on the new station.

simon.fuller@canstarnews.com