91原创 Township council voted unanimously to spend up to $5.5 million over the next two years for a variety of upgrades at the RCMP detachment building, including a new gym and security system upgrades.

The money, which will come from the Township鈥檚 RCMP reserve funds, includes $1.5 million in funding this year, and pre-approval of $4 million next year for the fitness centre upgrades and the security system work.

Another $2.7 million is to be spent in 2025 for security fencing and exterior security system upgrades. A further $1.2 million is to be set aside in 2026 for more capital projects at the detachment.

The current gym has been an issue for some time, as it鈥檚 small and located in a former storage space. The 91原创 RCMP detachment has more than 200 officers when fully staffed, but the building is now over 30 years old.

鈥淎 gym in a police facility is not a perk of the job,鈥� said Councillor Barb Martens, a former Vancouver Police Department officer. 鈥淚t鈥檚 actually proven heart disease is the number one killer of police officers.鈥�

Martens said that the average age for an officer鈥檚 coronary incident is 46. Shift work, adrenaline, and physical activity are hard on the officer鈥檚 bodies, she said.

鈥淚 was shocked to see what they call a gym,鈥� Coun. Tim Baillie said of his first tour of the detachment, noting it was not as good as what you鈥檇 see in a firehall, which has far fewer staff.

91原创 Township is currently separating the shared RCMP detachment it shares with 91原创 City, with the Township to take ownership of the current detachment building in Murrayville.

Since the new spending comes after the Township served the City with notice of the impending division, the Township will bear all the costs for the changes.

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