City police have chosen the former Algoma Central Railway station in Station Mall's parking lot as their preferred location for a downtown precinct-like police presence, SooToday has learned.
As we reported this week, Nicholas Rosset, chair of the Downtown Association, told a meeting of the business group's board on Wednesday night that Sault Ste. Marie Police Service has selected a location for its new core-area presence.
Now, a source close to the pending transaction has told SooToday that police want to establish the new neighbourhood station in the former ACR ticket sales and gift shop building at 129 Bay St.
The proposed location offers parking for police vehicles and rapid access to the city's core via Bay and Dennis streets.
"Police services are moving forward with a station downtown and a police presence permanently downtown," Rosset told his board on Wednesday night.
"However, it's time-consuming in the preparation of the station and the [Ontario Police College] only outputs so many officers and they need a minimum to operate this office.
"So realistically, we won't be seeing a lot of increase to our police service downtown until hopefully mid-summer."
"It looks like it's all moving forward and it should be a big benefit to our membership and community. But again, it's going to take some time," Rosset told the Downtown Association board.
As SooToday's James Hopkin reported on Friday, police are sending mixed messages about whether any decision has been made about a downtown location.
Sault Ste. Marie Police Service spokesperson Lincoln Louttit denied that any decision has been made, indicating that options are still being explored.
But Ward 4 Coun. Marchy Bruni, a member of the local police services board, told Hopkin that "a location has been identified," although the lease has yet to be signed.
The new police station is expected to eventually employ 17 officers and will cost $3.6 million, spread over four years.
Algoma Central Railway was started by Francis H. Clergue in 1899 to service the region's mining and lumber resources.
It ran a short-line passenger service between the Sault and Hearst, which ended in 2015 when the federal government ended a subsidy.
The Agawa Canyon Tour Train continues to operate from a new station opened in August 2021 at 87 Huron St. by Tony Porco's Superior Industrial Services Inc. (SIS Group).