No New Autonomous RCMP Detachment for $18.25-$24+ Million & No Removal & Development of Parkland For It: Demanding Fiscal Responsibility and Accountability to Pitt Meadows Residents

New Staff Report to Council on Autonomous Detachment

file:///D:/Data/Darlene%20Documents/City%20of%20PM%20-%20Gen/RCMP%20Detachment/Agenda%20Package%20-%20PUB1_May03_2022%20RCMP.pdf

Please click on the link for the latest Agenda to Council of May 3rd, 2022, including a full Staff Report to Council starting on page 52 detailing the chosen plans of Council for an autonomous detachment build at Harris Road Park including a variety of considerations, many not 'priced into' the now $21.733 Million current estimated price tag (moving or replacing various structures such as the Art Gallery, storage facility,, new washrooms, moving the Minor League Baseball diamond and viewing stands, contracted services by the RCMP).  This will most certainly, when all is said and done meet or exceed $25 million.  If you have questions for Council at the meeting, you can email Kate Barchard at the City of Pitt Meadows.

New signatures to date submitted - New total of 523

We now have a total of 523 signatures, including the paper copy of the petition. Please note that if you signed the paper petition that came around with volunteers, please do not sign the e-petition as it duplicates signatures and they will be struck by the City.

The Mayor has been very vocal against those who disagree with the City's goals of a stand alone Detachment.  Yes, it has been granted by the Province, but it is not as yet started.  It is my hope that with additional pressure by concerned taxpayers that the City will at least put off any start on site development at Harris Road Park for this until after the October, 2022 election.  This should be an election issue, which is probably the closest thing we will get to a Referendum after the Mayor declaring that 'he is the Referendum' upon receipt in Chambers of the initial several hundred signatures.  This can still be halted with community support for this petition and pressure to set aside any further work on this until November, 2022.

Petition Will Continue Despite Provincial Approval

Although the Province of BC has approved our city's splitting off from Maple Ridge to form its own RCMP Detachment, due to the length of the process (2-3 years), and the fact that October, 2022 is the Municipal Elections, and the City will still have to apply for funding for a Provincial loan which will be anywhere from $20-24 million, this E Petition will remain up and running.

Our local News is presently not following up with an 'other side' story to run after the Municipal Announcement of the approval, so I will do so here.  The Mayor is not correct in saying that there has historically been a police building on the spot where our Art Gallery and Park now reside.  According to public records and archive data, we have never had a separate police facility, outside of our present Community Police Office.  In the 1800s with the Municipal Police, the Constable operated out of our then City Hall.  That location burned down and when the new City Hall was built on the same spot (which is now our Heritage Hall), both the Provincial Police Force (2 constables) and then later the RCMP (2 constables) were stationed out of Maple Ridge.  To equate having a police force on that site historically with an officer standing on the spot or sitting at a City Hall desk, is a large stretch.

This petition is giving a voice to residents who are not ok with this expenditure, use of public land for development of a facility for a service we are already well served with.   As well it is a voice that is denied by this Council through their changes to Policy on who can speak in Chambers in Council on what matters.  As the Mayor so pointedly suggested in September, 2021, "If you don't like my vote (re Detachment), don't vote for me next year".

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