Infrastructure Ontario is considering a location near Hespeler for a new Cambridge Ontario Provincial Police detachment after the region recommended approving a request for road access to a proposed site on Hespeler Road this week.
The Region of Waterloo's transportation division was asked to approve two accesses to 1360 Hespeler Rd. to facilitate the construction of the new detachment.
Since that section of Hespeler Road is an "access-controlled regional road," a permit is required before construction can begin to ensure the safe movement of traffic. The proposed OPP detachment would only have frontage on Hespeler Road with no other access options.
The approval sets the stage for next steps in consultation on the site.
The site is adjacent to a wetland opposite the intersection of Guelph Avenue and Hespeler Road, immediately north of the village of Hespeler.
It’s unclear what other agencies may be involved, or if a public information centre for residents will be part of the process. Staff at the City of Cambridge already agreed with the proposed access.
Infrastructure Ontario (IO) responded to a request for comment from CambridgeToday by saying its real estate division is undertaking the “appropriate due diligence” for the location.
“The site is currently being evaluated to determine potential future use options,” said IO communications advisor Alanna Myles in an emailed response. “As part of our due diligence process, the province is ensuring all potential access points from roadways are determined.”
Two maps included in the region’s report on road access shows the location and what appears to be a site plan for the detachment, including buildings, parking and roadways.
Movement on the new site comes three years after fire ripped through the old detachment at 500 Beaverdale Rd., forcing officers to briefly work out of Milton before a temporary location could be found.
That temporary location, at 1150 Franklin Boulevard, has been home to local OPP officers since 2018 as Infrastructure Ontario works through the process of constructing a new detachment.
The project is not yet listed among major projects currently underway on Infrastructure Ontario’s website.
