[Gatineau] Centre Robert Guertin Redevelopment | Proposed

[J.OT13]

Un QG de police de 170 millions sur le site Guertin

MATHIEU BÉLANGER
Le Droit, 31 octobre 2022

Certains n’hésitent pas à qualifier la décision que s’apprête à prendre le conseil municipal de Gatineau, cette semaine, comme «la plus importante du mandat». Le Droit a appris que les élus seront appelés, mardi, à se prononcer sur la construction d’un quartier général (QG) de la police au coût de 170 millions de dollars, en plein centre-ville, sur le site de l’ancien aréna Guertin. L’information a été confirmée par plusieurs sources bien au fait du dossier.



Le dossier a été évoqué une première fois à huis clos au tout début de l’été. Une présentation plus formelle aux élus, toujours à huis clos, a eu lieu la semaine dernière et une troisième rencontre derrière des portes closes est à l’horaire, en matinée, mardi. De larges pans du dossier doivent finalement être rendus publics en après-midi, lors du comité plénier. À l’heure actuelle, le projet est loin de faire l’unanimité autour de la table.

Cinq sites potentiels pour accueillir ce nouveau quartier général auraient été analysés par le Service de police de la Ville de Gatineau (SPVG), mais un seul semble faire l’affaire du SPVG, celui de Guertin, en bordure du boulevard des Allumettières et à un jet de pierre de l’autoroute 50. Il répondrait à tous les critères, d’autant plus qu’il appartient déjà à la Ville de Gatineau. La future installation n’occuperait pas la totalité des 50 000 m2 que comprend le site. La possibilité de vendre l’espace résiduel pour y construire des logements ou de l’utiliser afin de favoriser l’implantation d’autres types de services municipaux ou sociaux, notamment en itinérance, serait sur la table.

Débat sur la centralisation

Selon nos informations, le poste de police du secteur Gatineau, situé sur le boulevard Gréber, pourrait éventuellement être fermé et le terrain vendu au plus offrant afin de financer une partie de la nouvelle infrastructure au centre-ville. Plusieurs sources confirment que la possibilité de laisser le secteur Gatineau sans point de services policiers afin de les centraliser à Hull est clairement évoquée. Cette possibilité qui fera certainement l’objet de discussions soutenues mardi en laisserait plusieurs songeurs, alors que d’autres y voient là une solution d’avenir que plusieurs autres grandes villes n’hésitent pas à prendre. La Ville de Gatineau aurait cependant l’intention de conserver son poste de police à Buckingham et d’agrandir celui d’Aylmer au coût d’environ 15 millions, tel que préalablement annoncé.


Le poste de police du secteur Gatineau, situé sur le boulevard Gréber, pourrait éventuellement être fermé et le terrain vendu au plus offrant afin de financer une partie de la nouvelle infrastructure au centre-ville.

L’expropriation par le gouvernement du Québec des installations municipales sur la rue d’Edmonton pour faire place au futur centre hospitalier, dans le secteur Hull, rapporterait aussi un montant d’argent important qui permettrait de réduire la facture finale du nouveau QG.

À 24 heures de cet important débat au conseil, plusieurs élus affirment avoir encore énormément d’interrogations face à la proposition du SPVG. Pour plusieurs, ce qui relève de l’obligation en matière de niveau de service et ce qui tient au «agréable à avoir» n’est toujours pas clair dans ce dossier.

Véritable quartier général de police

La haute direction du SPVG rêve à ce QG depuis près de 10 ans. L’administration Pedneaud-Jobin n’a apparemment jamais été convaincue de la proposition sur la table, au point où elle ne s’est jamais rendu jusqu’au conseil municipal. Placée devant l’urgence et la nécessité de redéployer les services policiers sur le territoire, la mairesse France Bélisle n’a plus le luxe de pelleter ce dossier vers l’avant. Selon certains, la démolition prochaine du poste de Hull et le manque criant d’espace au poste de Gatineau sont perçus comme autant d’occasions de centraliser et densifier des services policiers et de doter la quatrième ville du Québec d’un véritable quartier général de police.

https://www.ledroit.com/2022/10/31/u...5e59075dabdcc2

[J.OT13]

As you may know, the new super hospital proposed by the CAQ (opening next year, right? That was the promise? ) will be taking up space occupied by an industrial area, a City yard and the Hull police Station. The above article is about the relocation of the Gatineau Police station. The above article is about the relocation of the Hull police station and it seems Guertin is the top choice, with the rest of the land likely to be reserved for affordable and supportive housing along with services for the homeless (Guertin has been used as an emergency shelter for a year or two now).

The new station's estimated costs is $170 million.

Adding to this, the Gatineau police station on Greber is apparently obsolete. Considerations will be given to sell the land under that station in order to help fund the new one in Hull. Both stations would be consolidated in Hull, at Guertin.

Stations in Buckingham and Aylmer would remain, with Aylmer getting a $15 million expansion.

It's also expected that the City will be compensated for the loss of their work yards and police station where the future hospital will be supposedly built.

Apparently, the Gatineau Police have wanted this project for a decade, but the Pednault-Jobin administration was unconvinced it was needed, but now, the City's hand has been forced.

[J.OT13]

This is the current plan for the old Guertin site. The new police station, parking, a gas station () and a small corner for mixed-use development.



During the 2021 election, Belisle promised an RFP process for the Guertin site, and now we get this!? There's some major opposition to this plan, even the idea of putting the police station there, for good reason. This is not what was promised and squanders the potential of what would otherwise be an amazing opportunity for Hull.

Now Belisle is saying that if we chose another site, it will be everyone else fault if we have to pay $50-$100 million for another site and taxes go up, as if the City doesn't own any other potential location.

https://www.ledroit.com/2022/11/16/q...2489e4c9939e18

[Kelnoz]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Now Belisle is saying that if we chose another site, it will be everyone else fault if we have to pay $50-$100 million for another site and taxes go up, as if the City doesn't own any other potential location.

It's so ridiculous, all they need to do is make that parking garage a bit smaller and move it where the gas station is. That would leave so much space for development and the park and ride could be built up with it as a cohesive neighbourhood.

[harls]

That parking lot was a popular spot for the RV camper crowd.

Now they will have to move to the parking lot in front of Wal-Mart on the plateau.

[Acajack]

I don't think it's an actual gas station. It's probably a couple of pumps to fill police vehicles.

[Kelnoz]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I don't think it's an actual gas station. It's probably a couple of pumps to fill police vehicles.

It's massive tho, the nearby Ultramar is only about 2k sqft for the building itself and another 2k for the pumps. It looks like they want a full service convenience store considering there's a car wash and a ton of empty space around it to maneuver/park

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I don't think it's an actual gas station. It's probably a couple of pumps to fill police vehicles.

That doesn't make it a good use of land. They could build the police gas station somewhere else off island or make a deal with a gas station chain. Where do paramedics and fire trucks fill up, or the STO's car fleet?

[rocketphish]

Gatineau postpones decision on proposed police HQ near homeless shelter
Protesters gathered at Robert-Guertin Centre last week

CBC News
Posted: Nov 22, 2022 7:02 AM ET | Last Updated: 33 minutes ago

The City of Gatineau is postponing a meeting to choose the location of the future Gatineau police headquarters until January.

A committee was originally scheduled to meet Tuesday to analyze the choice of building the headquarters on the property of the Robert-Guertin Centre, which is near a homeless shelter, supervised injection site and soup kitchen.

The proposal would see the headquarters in the parking lot of the centre, which will eventually be torn down. It would house officers from Hull after their post is expropriated and Gatineau sector officers whose building is considered obsolete by the force.

A news release Monday says the city now wants to take more time to explore more options.

Some citizens and organizations voiced their dissatisfaction last week, saying a heightened police presence in an area frequented by people who use these services increases their risk of being fined and overly monitored and could further displace them.

"Members of the city council received the presentation [from the city administration] on Friday afternoon ... I had a lot of exchanges with the members of the executive committee ... and in our opinion, there were still blind spots and information that was missing," said Gatineau Mayor France Bélisle in a French interview with Radio-Canada.

"The sense of urgency is still there and it is not a decision that can be put off forever," she said.

"The executive committee has mandated the internal team to broaden its analysis criteria by now also including other municipal sites."

The date of the next meeting should be announced shortly, but it will take place in January 2023. No public consultation meetings have been set so far.

"Even though I'm a little surprised by the postponement at the last minute and I would have liked this decision to be explained publicly, I think it's a good idea, because obviously the file got off to a bad start," said Touraine Coun. Tiffany-Lee Norris-Parent.

"People were very upset. And so they mobilize and said, 'This is unacceptable. We want to be part of the conversation,'" said Hull-Wright Coun. Steve Moran, who represents the Robert-Guertin Centre area.

"Pretty clearly, they've ceded to the pressure coming from residents, from social movements, from service groups and from the business community say[ing] that we need to look a little closer at this decision before we make it."

With files from Joseph Tunney, Radio-Canada's Julien David-Pelletier and Nathalie Tremblay

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottaw...tion-1.6659696

[J.OT13]

They are botching this almost as bad as the CAQ and the new hospital, but on fast-forward (over a few months instead of years).

Why can't they release the list of sites and let people comment?

[Acajack]

Another possible site leaked to media. Near the A-50 and St-Louis exit.

https://www.fm1047.ca/nouvelles/5430...PWesBVQhOK1flw

It seems to me this area can flood every couple of years though.

[Acajack]

BTW I don't see a problem with having a police station near a homeless shelter, but maybe I am just weird. (The Byward Market in Ottawa should have a police station, in fact.)

[rocketphish]

Gatineau committee approves demolition of Guertin arena, no time frame set

Staff Reporter, Ottawa Citizen
Published Feb 28, 2024 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 1 minute read

Gatineau’s Aréna Robert-Guertin, colloquially known as ‘le Bob’, is now officially on the demolition list.

The city’s demolition request committee unanimously approved the measure at a meeting Tuesday.

No date has been set for the teardown of the building on Rue de Carillon, built in 1957.

Once it’s started, the demolition is expected to take eight months to a year at a cost of $3 million.

The former home of the Gatineau Olympiques has been closed to the public since March 2020.

The Olympiques now play in the $73-million Centre Slush Puppie on Boulevard de la Cité in Gatineau’s east end.

The council committee heard that experts have found lead and asbestos in the building. Cracks and weakening trusses on the roof also require frequent snow removal.

The cost of renovating and bringing the building up to standard has been estimated at $50 million.

Coun. Mario Aubé, who chairs the demolition request committee, said in an interview there were no plans yet on what could go into the site.

“This building has been at the end of its useful life for several years now. It’s no longer functional. It’s used for storage,” said Aubé, who had a long career as a hockey journalist and broadcaster before being elected to council.

Aubé said there had been discussion of using part of the property for social housing, but there have been no firm proposals.

Discussion is also underway on the fate of the homeless people who have been camping around the building this winter.

These homeless people are concerned they will have to move because of the upcoming construction work.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local...time-frame-set

[harls]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

These homeless people are concerned they will have to move because of the upcoming construction work.

Most of the tents are along the creek and not anywhere near the old arena, by the Gîte Ami.

I think they used the Bob for toilets though.

[Acajack]

Seems like a societal failing to me that we're talking about the tent city in terms that suggest it's a quasi-permanent thing.

[DTcrawler]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Seems like a societal failing to me that we're talking about the tent city in terms that suggest it's a quasi-permanent thing.

Exactly my thoughts. Or that we're somehow concerned that police presence in the area might lead to cops stopping people from doing illegal things.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by DTcrawler

Exactly my thoughts. Or that we're somehow concerned that police presence in the area might lead to cops stopping people from doing illegal things.

Police stopping people from doing illegal things? What have you been smokin'?

With Belisle resigning, at least we know this won't become the new Police HQ. Hopefully we can build housing so the people at the homeless encampments can move into a home.

[J.OT13]

Demo approved. No timeframe.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local...time-frame-set