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Council backs more court facilities

Red Deer’s new mayor and council will continue to support expansion of court facilities serving the region, says Mayor Tara Veer.

Red Deer’s new mayor and council will continue to support expansion of court facilities serving the region, says Mayor Tara Veer.

More than a year has passed since former Mayor Morris Flewwelling, retired Justice Jim Foster and lawyer Brent Handel, president of the Central Alberta Bar Association, began lobbying the province for a bigger courthouse in Red Deer.

The group has favoured and received support from city council for a land swap, with the province to build a new courthouse on the site of the former RCMP building and then give the current courthouse to the city for office space.

There is no question that Red Deer needs more courtroom space, Veer said on Friday.

“Council has identified how critical it is that we not only maintain having our provincial courthouse in our downtown, but, to the best of our abilities, we facilitate the expansion within downtown as well. So, it continues to be an advocacy priority for us,” said Veer.

“This one is on our radar, and we will continue to represent our citizens strongly in the fact that we want to see an expanded courthouse in downtown Red Deer.”

Foster said the response from the province has been encouraging, although there has been little action on a P3 proposal in which a private-sector developer would be invited to build the courthouse, and then lease it back to the province.

“I think it’s now pretty clear that the province is in fact, in my opinion, going to construct a courthouse on (the former RCMP) site. I think it’s the only available site that’s practical,” said Foster.

“The real question is, when are they going to do it — when are they going to announce it.”

Foster said his latest information is that the province is looking at a package of three courthouses for a total cost of $300 million.

“I think the justice minister feels he’s got to have three facilities. I disagree with that, and I’ve told him that.”

Foster believes Red Deer’s courthouse, with 16 courtrooms, would run $250 million and should not be held up awaiting two other projects, which would most likely be in Sherwood Park and Fort McMurray.

“I think Red Deer is big enough to go all by itself as a separate, 3P project,” said Foster.

He plans to get some expert help confirming his estimate, and then approach the justice minister and the provincial treasurer with those figures.

Foster said he will discuss his position with Justice Minister Jonathan Denis and Provincial Treasurer Doug Horner during a Progressive Conservative Association annual general meeting and convention in Red Deer on Nov. 22 and 23.

bkossowan@www.reddeeradvocate.com