Phase one of the new Regina Police Service headquarters is now complete and will open to the public next week.
Thursday marked moving day for the police, as the new headquarters is located in the former Saskatchewan Transit Company Regina Terminal.
Construction on the RPS Campus Development kicked off in 2021 with a budget of $50.4 million and was celebrated with a flag-raising ceremony and speeches.
“This project was designed to streamline and centralize the work of the 650+ RPS employees and increase the effectiveness of our service delivery to the public,” Regina police chief Evan Bray said.
“There is still work to do, but we are a modern, growing police service and this expanded facility will better support the current and future needs of our police service and our community.”
And as the soon-to-be-retired police chief stepped inside, he said the cost of their new home is well worth the money.
“We’ve been leasing space at almost $2 million a year in leasing costs, and that will obviously be saved,” Bray said.
“So in a very short time, much like buying a house versus renting, we’re actually going to be having equity in a building that the City of Regina owns.”
From the main entrance to the lobby, washrooms, meeting rooms and accessibility has been incorporated into the functionality of the building.
The new front entrance is now located at 1717 Saskatchewan Dr. with parking along Broad Street and Saskatchewan Drive. Most public services will be accessed through the new Link building, which is at-grade as compared to the elevated main floor of the old headquarters building.
In addition, the Link building has solar panels to offset a portion of the facility’s energy needs, resulting in reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
“The City of Regina is pleased to see the first phase of the new Regina Police Service headquarters open to serve our residents,” said Mayor Sandra Masters.
“This accessible facility reflects our police service’s commitment to public safety and community development and will further empower them to provide services that meet our city’s evolving needs.”
Phases two and three are expected to be completed in January 2024 and 2025, respectively. The municipal justice building will be turned into a mixed-use space, while the last phase will see renovations to the east headquarters.