Cathy Dobson/The Independent

A board-approved, $3.5 million reinvestment to repair Sarnia Police headquarters will ensure the building’s use for the foreseeable future, says Interim Chief Mike Federico.

He made the comments Thursday after the Sarnia Police Services board unanimously supported the request to the City of Sarnia to provide $3.5 million for “immediate capital” improvements at the Christina Street building.

“The words ‘Band-Aid’ and ‘short-term repairs’ get thrown out (in public forums) but that’s not the approach and it’s not the recommendation we’re making,” the chief said.

After extensive research and consultation, Federico said he has concluded the existing 39-year-old police headquarters – with significant reinvestment – can continue to serve the City of Sarnia “well into the future.”

For now, that puts to rest the controversial discussion about building a new headquarters, estimated to cost $91 million, that plagued budget talks last year.

“Those discussions were ultimately discontinued, and construction of a new headquarters is no longer under consideration,” Deputy Chief Mike Van Sickle wrote in a report to the police services board.

However, deferring necessary capital work is no longer a sustainable approach,” Van Sickle continued, siting occupational health and safety concerns, security, as well as a recent Ministry of Labour order to replace the front stairs.  

Van Sickle’s report listed numerous high-priority capital repairs and upgrades that he said cannot be delayed. They include:

• ·       Front entrance and stair replacement;
• ·       Fuel tank replacement;
• ·       Refrigerant monitoring system;
• ·       Sally port expansion and rehab;
• ·       Parking lot gates and camera coverage;
• ·       Permanent exterior cam-lock electrical connections for emergency generator; and
• ·       Panic strips and panic button for officers working with prisoners.

The front entrance stairs are the most visible safety concern for the public. In August, a Ministry of Labour rep went to the police station on another matter and immediately ordered the stairs shut down. The stairs’ deterioration is not limited to the exterior, Van Sickle said.

They are a part of the building structure and leaks have allowed water to seep into the gym beneath them and cause rebar rust and mould, he said.

Structural engineers have estimated the stair replacement will cost $1 million, according to Jason Dale, manager of fleet and facilities.

“We have a ministerial order to fix the stairs. We have no choice,” said police board member Anne Marie Gillis, an incumbent running for city council again. She suggested there could be federal money available for repairs that MP Marilyn Gladu could help access.

“There’s no way around it,” agreed board member Chrissy McRoberts, also an incumbent taking another run at a council seat.  “The longer we wait, the more it’s going to cost. This has to be done.”

Meanwhile, yellow caution tape prevents the use of the stairs. Entry to the building is limited to a ramp.

In making the case for $3.5 million in urgent repairs, Federico said the request “is the least amount of money we need to invest on the building to make it safe to occupy.

“We are just trying to survive in this building,” he said.

The SPS board also approved a 10-year plan Thursday to upgrade the existing station so that the aging structure can be managed. 

The plan will be reviewed annually and includes items such as HVAC improvements, new lockers large enough to handle current equipment carried by officers, window replacement and refurbishments to the criminal investigations division.

None of the items on the capital replacement list address shortcomings like an inadequate shooting range or off-site leased space such as the communications centre in Lambton Mall, Van Sickle added. 

The $3.5 million capital police budget still requires approval from city council as the city is responsible for both the building and police operations.  

A separate budget of $40.9 million is also going to city council for 2027 operating expenses.   It represents a new spending record for the police department and a 5.8 per cent increase over 2026.