By Jennifer Irving
According to documents obtained through an access to information request, the federal government spent more than $600,000 to bring the newly relocated parole office on Gilmour Street up to standards, despite being offered expansion space at its old location for a lesser cost.
The documents, obtained by area resident Albert Galpin, reveal that an offer had been made to expand the original office space on 360 Laurier Ave.
The offer was refused for “security and operational issues” because it was vital for the office to be located on the ground floor.
Expanding the old facility was inefficient, says District Director Ana Paquette, as the office space would have been divided between two floors.
But Galpin is advocating for the office to be moved. He thinks Corrections Canada spent more money upgrading the Gilmour Street location, instead of expanding the old facilities, because the neighbourhood was more attractive.
”It’s almost as though they looked at the site on Gilmour and they thought it was a nice area and refused any other location,” he says.
The access documents state other parole offices are funded at $375 per square metre under Public Works and Government Services, but the Gilmour Street office was funded at $1000 per square metre after top-up funds from Corrections Canada’s national headquarters.
Security measures at the new location include one way windows and high-impact glass that can withstand several blows from a sledgehammer.
These security measures concern residents who are having a hard time understanding why the office was placed in a residential neighbourhood.
“We keep being told there are no security issues,” says Galpin. “If that’s so, then why did they need all these security upgrades?”
Paquette says residents are not being put in danger.
“I really don’t think this community is being put at risk,” she says. “There are 16 parole officers walking around — I don’t think people would offend if they’re being monitored.”
Ottawa Centre MP Ed Broadbent is asking Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan to move the Gilmour Street location after a parolee from the office was arrested for a hostile hostage situation on Jan. 23.
“It is completely unacceptable that your department would continue to ignore the concerns of residents regarding the location of this office,” he said in the letter to McLellan.
Lia Quikert, spokesperson for McLellan, says it is up to Corrections Canada to move the parole office and not a decision made by the minister.
“The minister is often seen as the spokesperson for agencies,” says Quickert.
Residents like Shelley Hartman are tired of dealing with bureaucrats and would like to see the office relocated closer to its former location in the downtown core.
She says the community has done enough for offender rehabilitation, as Centretown is already home to five halfway houses.
“If there are too many institutions like these, people are going to get uneasy,” she says. “Balance is the key to a healthy neighbourhood.”