At this week’s council meeting, the City of Langford officially endorsed a project that could see West Shore RCMP’s headquarters expanded.
However, during the City of Colwood’s council meeting this week, the project was deferred.
West Shore RCMP provide policing services to Langford, Colwood, View Royal, Metchosin, Highlands as well as the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations.
Because the RCMP detachment is owned by the City of Langford, the City of Colwood and the Town of View Royal, all must approve a validation report before the project can move forward.
Like Langford, View Royal approved the endeavour during their council meeting this week.
Colwood reportedly deferred their approval until after the Capital Regional District (CRD) can give the municipalities the green light to enable a funding mechanism to pay for the project.
The project is projected to cost a total of $87.5 million, which will be split by the three municipalities. The scope of the expansion would see the construction of a new 56,000 square foot, five-storey facility at the existing 698 Atkins Avenue site in Langford.
This expansion would see the currently over-capacity detachment expanded in order to accommodate police for the next 25 years.
Early projections showed that Langford would be responsible for roughly 60% of the funding, Colwood would pay a share of approximately 24.3% and View Royal would pay around 15.6%.
The total project cost is estimated to be $87.5 million.
According to the City of Langford, council and staff believe that Colwood misunderstands the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) model chosen to handle construction matters.
This IPD model would see Langford oversee the project through an appointed advisor, with input from the other two municipalities.
“The most glaring example is that they questioned the lack of a traditional project manager, however, the central premise of the IPD process is management through a collaborative project management team that has the collective responsibility for the total project results,” wrote a Langford spokesperson in a media release.
Langford’s belief is that the IPD model allows for consultants and contractors to be focused on solving problems together with mutual accountability as compared to more traditional models where blame, claims and litigation can be the focus.
Additionally, Langford is criticizing Colwood Councillor Ian Ward for comments made about staff members of other municipalities and for disclosing a closed-door conversation between Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson and former West Shore RCMP superintendent Todd Preston.
Ward had called the expansion project a “recipe for disaster” during the January 12th council meeting.
“These actions and comments are inappropriate and unprofessional, and also contradict the stated values of respect, trust, and cooperation detailed in the Project Charter, a document that Colwood insisted on establishing in 2025,” continued the Langford spokesperson.
“Further, there are other significant misrepresentations that were made through commentary during the Colwood Council meeting which will be clarified in the near future.”
Mayor Goodmanson says that this project is significant and must be pushed past the finish line in order to support community safety goals.
“It is disappointing to see Colwood Council pushing back on a process that they already endorsed and ultimately delaying a project that they have been actively engaged in for over five years,” said the Langford mayor.
Langford has issued a public plea to the Colwood city council to show leadership in a timely manner and approve the project.
As a way to facilitate an approval, Langford has offered to host a seminar for Colwood Council so their council and staff can better understand the IPD process.
Colwood has yet to comment on Langford’s accusations and criticisms publicly.
