Burnside Chosen for Jail, Hospital
The new adult correctional facility and forensic psychiatry hospital will be built at the Burnside Industrial Park.
Justice Minister Michael Baker and Health Minister Jamie Muir today confirmed Colford Avenue as the location of the two facilities. Halifax Regional Municipality has agreed to exchange the site for land purchased by the province at Jack's Lake in Bedford.
"The need for these facilities has been clearly demonstrated," said Mr. Baker. "We believe it is important to move forward, and this non-residential site is the appropriate one for these facilities."
Said Health Minister Jamie Muir: "We have considered the issues raised by the community and have addressed each one of them. The community will be kept informed of the project's development with regular project updates sent directly to their home. A website will also be established."
The costs relating to the relocation of the facilities will be kept to a minimum and are largely offset by the land exchange and the lower development costs at the Burnside site. As a result, the facilities will be constructed within the original budget envelope approved for the project. The current fair market value of the facilities is $58.9 million.
The correctional centre will house 272 male and female offenders. The forensic psychiatry hospital will include 60 patient beds, a 24-bed unit for mentally ill offenders, and two four-bed transition units. The facilities will share kitchen and laundry facilities, as well as program and treatment resources.
Read Management Ltd. is expected to begin construction immediately. Read Management consists of Cardinal Management, architectural firms John K. Dobbs and Associates and William Nycum and Associates Ltd., CBCL Ltd., Morris and Richard Consulting Engineers Ltd., and Tidewater Construction Ltd., all from Halifax. As originally anticipated, construction is expected to take about two years, with an expected opening in spring 2001.
NOTE TO EDITORS: A backgrounder on the new facilities is available. Contact Michele McKinnon at the above phone number or e-mail address.