The winning bid for the construction of the new RCMP detachment on Fourth Avenue came in $2 million under the city's anticipated budget.
On Monday city council awarded the construction contract to Kelowna-based Maple Reinders Inc. for $22.7 million. Seven companies submitted bids on the project.
City public safety and civic facilities director Rob Whitwham said the city's cost projections had put the cost closer to $25 million.
"Not only are we $2 million under budget, but the successful contractor, Maple Reinders, has experience building police buildings," Coun. Dave Wilbur said. "It's been a long, torturous trail to get to this point. But we saved $6 million through the [council] standing committee and now another $2 million. We've done a good job for the community."
The total budget for the project - including purchasing the land, clearing the site and designing the building - is $38.9 million.
Last year a city council committee examined the plan for the 64,000 square foot detachment and eliminated the secure, underground parking and emergency operations centre from the plan. The building is anticipated to achieve the LEED gold standard for energy efficiency and will incorporate solar heating and natural light.
Those two items reduced the projected cost by approximately $6 million.
Replacement of the current detachment on Brunswick has been on the city's books since the 1990s. The building is a former court building and is suffering from multiple mechanical and plumbing problems.
Construction of the new detachment is scheduled to be complete by the fall of 2013.
