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The
province expects to announce as early as next month its
public-private (P3) partnership to build the $110-million police
college in Fort Macleod. Livingstone-Macleod MLA Dave Coutts
said Wednesday there has been strong interest in a
public-private partnership for the Alberta Police and Peace
Officer Training Centre.
"It's still on track," Coutts said of a schedule that will see the
first class of cadets at the college in the fall of 2010.
Coutts, who met Aug. 27 with Solicitor General Fred Lindsay to
discuss the $110-million project, provided an update at the
Rotary Club of Fort Macleod luncheon.
The Livingstone-Macleod MLA acknowledged people are anxious to see
construction begin.
"Everybody's waiting for the shovel to get in the ground," Coutts
said.
"When that happens, it will mean security for southern Alberta."
People should not take the lack of activity on the police college
site in southeast Fort Macleod as an indication the project is
stalled.
"The curriculum is just about finished for the police college,"
Coutts told Rotarians. "The plans are still being worked on and
drawn up."
One of the next key steps is finding an investor for the
public-private (P3) partnership.
"Over the months a number of organizations have asked how they
could get involved," Coutts said. "The department has kept track
of those organizations."
The government has sent letters to those organizations asking for a
formal expression of interest.
"After those letters come back they will be reviewed by the
department," Coutts said.
Friday, Aug. 31 was the deadline for expressions of interest.
Government officials will study the responses over the next
month.
"They were hoping to make an announcement in October," Coutts said.
"It is still on track."
The police college will attract about 1,400 police and peace
officer cadets each year to Fort Macleod.
The college will create 75 to 100 permanent jobs.
"There is still a lot of enthusiasm," among police agencies that
want the college built in Fort Macleod, Coutts said.
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