It's looking like the not-yet-funded college, to be known as the Alberta Police & Peace Officer Training Centre, has the best chance of success with some type of public-private partnership model.
That model could see the college built with private dollars and leased by the government or a police co-op over the long term, with no direct provincial government investment up front.
Fort Macleod officials met with Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security Frank Oberle in late November, and were widely quoted in the regional media about the positive tone of the discussions.
Fort Macleod, population 3,100, located 45 kilometres west of Lethbridge, was chosen as the provincial government's preferred location for a police college back in summer 2006. It beat out 29 other communities at the time, but a lack of direct provincial funding for the project stalled its progress.
The announcement sparked interest in investment in the community at the time, but the town has experienced relatively little growth since then.
"People are waiting for something definite," said Martin Ebel, the town's economic development officer.
Fort Macleod has plenty of city-owned and serviced commercial and industrial land available ranging from a price of $35,000 an acre for industrial land to around $60,000 for half-acre highway commercial lots. Prices are currently under review.
The number of business licences issued in Fort Macleod was also up in 2009, Ebel said, as was the value of commercial building permits.
He noted there was starting to be a cynical attitude toward the police college and whether it would ever happen, but the town's pursuit of the college, with the hired help of Commonwealth Corporate Support Services Group, have ramped up optimism.
from Western Investor, January 2011
