City of Kelowna chooses contractor for new cop shop

KELOWNA – The city has chosen Bird Design-Build Construction as the primary contractor for the new RCMP police services building to be built at Clement Avenue and Richter Street in Kelowna.

The contract is valued at $39 million and calls for the Calgary-based construction company to shepherd the specialized police services building through the planning and construction phases.

“A design-build selection process was used on this project in order to address thextensive and detailed requirements for the high-security facility in a way that ensured a strong control over the project costs,” city project manager Andrew Gibbs says in a media release.

"Technical input by specialist consultants and contractors, including extensive consultation with the RCMP, has contributed to the quality of this selection process and will result in a facility that will serve the detachment and the community very well for many years to come," he says.

The budget for the 100,000 square foot building is $48 million but includes specialized technical equipment and security systems to be installed near the end of the construction phase.

Kelowna residents approved the $42-million loan needed to finance the project in a referendum last year. The loan will be paid back from tax revenue over 30 years.

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