My Barton Village

The Poice Services Board brought forth their recommendation to the General Issues Committee on Wednesday for the planned Community Policing Centre in the Barton Village BIA. The report recommended that the Community Policing Centre, currently located at the Centre Mall, be relocated to 460 Barton Street East, Hamilton. A period commencing on July 15, 2013 and expiring July 15, 2018.

Included in the recommendation was the proposed closures of the CPCs in Lansdale and on Concession Street. That didn't sit well with some of the councillors as there had been no consultation with them or the neighbourhoods containing the CPCs.

The report was sent back to the Police Services Board. I'm not sure if this would delay the implementation of the new Community Policing Centre as the only sticking point seems to be the closure of Concession Street CPC in late 2014.

Below is the recommendation from the report.

The board recommends that the leases for the Community Policing Centre on Concession Street, when it expires on October 31st, 2014, and the Lansdale Community Policing Centre on King Street East, when it expires on December 31st, 2013, not be renewed and the funds for those centres be reallocated to funding for the proposed new centre at 460 Barton Street East.

The CPC in the East End of Hamilton was established in 1999 and was located at the Centre Mall. In 2008, the Centre Mall underwent substantial renovations and it became necessary to temporarily relocate the premise. The CPC subleased an 850 square foot section of the Ottawa Street BIA until the renovations at centre Mall were completed, and a location for the CPC was identified.

In 2012, Landlord Redcliff Realty management Inc provided 1,600 square foot office at a rate of $9,000.00 per annum plus utilities. This translates to $5.55 per square foot. The lease was for a period of one year and Redcliff Realty expressed a desire in keeping a police presence in the Mall for years to come.

Redcliff Realty Management had an ownership in 2012. The new owners indicated that they were looking for a new lease that brought the rent closer to market value. This would cause the CPC to increase from $9,000.00 to around $24,000.00 annually or $14.50 per square foot. The new location would also require the Hamilton Police to invest $20,000.00 in leasehold improvements.

In an attempt to provide location options, the City of Hamilton Real Estate Division identified a location at 460 Barton Street East (S/W corner of Barton and Wentworth Streets). It has good visibility and free parking. the building will provide the police with 3,072 square feet at a rate of $7.50 per square foot of $23,040.00 annually. This location does not require extensive leasehold improvements.

The 460 Barton Street East location is 800 square feet larger than the Centre Mall location and allows us to enhance the crime prevention information and training seminars initiated last year. Community members and business owners attend to enhance their crime prevention knowledge. Current seminars offered include:

- Personal Safety
- Home Security
- Fraud Prevention
- Identity Theft Protection
- Child Streetproofing
- Senior Safety
- Traffic Safety
- Robbery Prevention for businesses
- Shoplifting prevention for business

The location also provides a larger training area for over 400 police volunteers. Hamilton Police will be able to run events such as Citizens Police College at the location, eliminating the need to rent Mohawk College. This location would provide space for the Barton Street foot patrol officer to work out of thereby keeping a strong police presence in the area.

Being located in the Barton Street BIA will provide a valuable police presence to an expanding business area.

The Lansdale Community Policing Centre lease expires at the end of 2013. The centre is underutilized by the community and has served its intened role. Savings of $8,820.00 will be realized yearly and will be used to defer the increased cost of the Barton Street lease. The volunteers working out of the Landsdale location will be transferred to work out of the new Barton Street location.

The Concession CPC lease expires October 31, 2014. The volunteer programs administered at this location do not require an expensive store front location. Prior to the expiration of this lease, the police service will evaluate the need to continue to provide a Community Policing Centre in this area. Many of the important programs now offered by the volunteers at this location can be offered in other less expensive, or free, venues such as Station 30, the "Y", libraries etc.

Presently, we are not paying rent at the Ancaster and Waterdown CPCs. A 600 square foot office at a significantly reduced rent or at a free space will allow volunteers to continue to administer traffic safety programs throughout the Mountain. the elimination of the $11,000.00 yearly rent will lead to an annual overall saving of $6,800.00 for all CPC rents going forward from 2015.

Original document: hamilton.ca

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Real Estate Crawl on June 13th

Community Policing Centre Report at GIC