It's likely back to the drawing board for West Vancouver's new public safety building, after a review of the current building design - about a year in the making - identified some serious deficiencies.
The biggest design problem identified in a recent audit is the limited amount of space being shared by police and fire services, which are both meant to be housed in the new municipal building.
"I think council was somewhat surprised when ultimately the final result was that we had two purpose-built buildings," said Nina Leemhuis, District of West Vancouver's chief administrative officer. "The only shared space within the facility were a 2,600-squarefoot training room and the atrium space, and the atrium space was really meant as a connector between police, fire and the municipal hall building."
The sobering news came to light last Thursday as Leemhuis updated the West Vancouver Police Board on the status of the new building slated for the municipal hall site.
The audit also scored the building design's functional efficiency as low, at about 65 per cent. Leemhuis said in most cases the minimum efficiency should be 75 to 85 per cent.
Results of the design audit are a setback for the project, which is already eight months to a year behind its original schedule.
But Leemhuis told the police board there is no cause for panic.
The West Vancouver Police Department has until Dec. 31, 2017 to move out of its current digs before the development company Grosvenor takes over the 1300-block of Marine Drive.
The controversial Grosvenor development will see seven and six storey buildings, housing 98 residential units, as well as retail and office space, on the block that includes the current cop shop site.
Leemhuis said there's still plenty of time to make changes. She noted once designs are finalized, it would take between 15 and 18 months to complete construction of new police and fire buildings.
"What I need to stress is there is a new police building that will be built," Leemhuis told the board. "There is a drop dead date we need to be out."
Next steps include reviewing and refinement of the building design, and addressing the key issue of whether or not holding cells will be included. Another issue is whether the building should be built to regular seismic design standards or to more encompassing postdisaster standards, which would cost an extra $3.5 million.
Leemhuis said while construction on the buildings can theoretically begin, "I'm not comfortable doing them yet because I don't think we've got an end product that's as good as it can be."
The discussion will be brought back to the police board in August when new police chief Len Goerke takes over, Leemhuis said.
Moving the police department to temporary digs at the district's recently acquired Vancouver Coastal Health building for a year is an option, said Leehuis, but added she has reservations about putting it in the middle of the Kiwanis seniors housing area.
On Thursday, police board members indicated they want to be involved in any final decisions.
"We understand that it's the responsibility of the district to supply the building, but it's our responsibility to make sure the building meets our requirements," said Barbara Brink, police board vice chair.
West Vancouver Mayor Michael Smith, chair of the police board, reassured the board there's still a lengthy period of time to make final design decisions. "It's the sober second thought. If we're going to spend 36 million public dollars we want to make sure we look at it from every realistic angle," he said.
