Chatham-Kent Council will examine the possibility of converting the Children’s Treatment Centre building into a centralized Community Safety Centre.
With operations at the Children’s Treatment Centre moving to a new facility in the fall, Chatham-Kent administration is recommending that the current building on Lark Street be renovated and repurposed.
Staff has proposed that the municipally owned building be used to house several fire and police department services, such as administrative fire offices, the Emergency Communications Centre, investigative services, mobile crisis unit, paramedicine services, and a dedicated Emergency Operations Centre. Victim Services and the Chatham-Kent collision reporting centre would also be housed at this location.
“This integrated approach supports operational efficiency by accommodating the distinct building system requirements of each emergency service,” the municipality said in a report to council. “By making efficient use of this existing building, the project reduces the need for additional standalone facilities and enables better use of other existing municipal buildings and cost avoidance of an existing leased building.”
If approved, administration will be instructed to bring forward a report on the redevelopment, which would return to council in August or September.
