The Ford government plans to add a new police station to its redevelopment of Ontario Place, adding marine officers, horses and traffic cops to the site.
The province began soliciting bids to build a new Ontario Provincial Police detachment on Ontario Place’s east island, near its proposal for a new concert venue, science centre and private spa and waterpark.
“This new OPP detachment will be well-positioned to patrol our highways, maintain a strong on-site policing presence and ensure the safety of families and all those visiting Ontario Place,” Solicitor General Michael Kerzner said in a statement on Friday.
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The government indicated the new detachment would help to patrol the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway, which are in the process of being transferred from the city to the province.
The OPP patrols all highways, even if they run through cities with their own police forces. Local roads are under the control of the Toronto police.
Friday’s announcement is the beginning of the process — seeking a company to design and build the new department.
It is proposed to include a helicopter pad, a marine unit and mounted officers, which would be the first horses assigned to any OPP unit.
The government is currently forging ahead with its plans to redevelop Ontario Place, preparing to hand control of much of the west island to a European spa company, Therme.
It has also unveiled designs for a science centre and parking structure.
There’s no official opening date for the redevelopment, but Therme could be open by around 2030, along with the science centre in 2029.
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