From today's Herald:
Dartmouth company wins $14.5-million contract to build coast guard headquarters
By PAT LEE Staff Reporter
Sun, Sep 12 - 11:44 AM
(Artist's design / contributed)
The Canadian Coast Guard is one step closer to moving into its long-awaited new headquarters with the announcement that the $14.5-million construction contract has been awarded.
The facility will be built at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography site in Dartmouth and is expected to open in November of next year.
The job of constructing the five-storey building goes to PCL Contractors Canada of Dartmouth, which also recently won the bid to build the new RCMP headquarters in Burnside.
The announcement was made Sunday at BIO by Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Gail Shea, minister of Fisheries and Oceans.
Standing dockside with flag-ship research vessel CCGS Hudson nearby, MacKay lauded the coast guard for its vital role in policing the country's waterways, search and rescue efforts as well as taking part in vital ocean research.
"They are a part of our culture, our history and economy and have an impact on the lives of all Canadians," he said.
Shea acknowledged that the new facility, which will replace a century-old base off Parker Street in Dartmouth, is long overdue.
"It's been a work in progress for approximately 10 years, so it's good to see construction starting here," she said.
She said along with the new office building, a shipyard will be built to accommodate coast guard vessels.
About 160 coast guard employees currently work at two different sites.
The new 3,724-square-metre building will be built with environmentally friendly features such as a "green" roof, recycled materials and a cooling system using seawater from the Bedford Basin.