County of Brant officials, along with invited guests, celebrated the grand opening of the new detachment for Brant OPP on Wednesday, September 29.
David Bailey, Mayor for the County of Brant, was one of several speakers during the event, which was closed to the public.
“On behalf of County Council, we are so pleased that the Brant OPP have settled into the new detachment building which will serve our community well for many years to come. This project has been a labour of love and many people in our community have worked very hard to make it a reality,” said Mayor David Bailey. “The location was specifically chosen to allow Brant OPP easy access to major travel routes throughout the County and the building has been designed to ensure it can evolve with the growing needs of the community over the years. We are thankful for the excellent service that Brant OPP provides to the County of Brant residents.”
The event was attended by a number of dignitaries including the Honorable Sylvia Jones, Solicitor General, Will Bouma, Member of Provincial Parliament, Belinda Karahalios, Member of Provincial Parliament, Jennifer Haley, Chair of the Police Services Board, Commissioner Thomas Carrique, OPP, Rob Stinson, President of the Ontario Provincial Police Association, Chief Superintendent Dwight Thib, Commander of OPP West Region, Neil Aitchison, Senior Manager Market Development at Melloul-Blamey Construction and Dr. Reverend David Ralph.
Will Bouma, Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Brantford-Brant, spoke during the ceremony.
“As a volunteer firefighter myself, I understand first-hand the importance of good: equipment, location and dynamic/expandable premises for the effective service to our community,” said Bouma. “This new OPP detachment building is an exemplification of modern, efficient and safe use of space and resources. My compliments to the County of Brant and the OPP for this huge step in serving the community now and in the future.”
The Brant OPP Detachment building is located in Paris, a short distance from Highway 403.
“The Brant County OPP and its members remain committed to public safety in our community and are thankful for the new Detachment which serves as our home and base of operations,” said Inspector Shawn Nash, Interim Detachment Commander. “The new facility has been designed to meet our current operational needs with the potential for expansion in our growing community. Strategically located, we are well positioned to serve the community into the future.”
L-R Chris Harkins, Deputy Commissioner, Rob Stinson, President of the OPP Association, Neil Aitchison, Senior Manager Market Development at Melloul-Blamey Construction, Chief Superintendent Dwight Thib, Commander of OPP West Region, Jennifer Haley, Chair of the Police Services Board, Sylvia Jones, Solicitor General, Mayor David Bailey, Will Bouma, Member of Provincial Parliament,Commissioner Thomas Carrique, OPP, Inspector Shawn Nash, Brant OPP Interim Detachment Commander, Belinda Karahalios, Member of Provincial Parliament)
