Mystery proposal unveiled: Old Moncton High site would become new RCMP station

The CBC has learned Terra Trust/Bird Construction proposal is to redevelop the former Moncton High property into the new Codiac RCMP Headquarters.

The CBC has learned Terra Trust/Bird Construction proposal calls for moving RCMP to former school

Tori Weldon · CBC News · Posted: Jun 13, 2017 6:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: June 13, 2017

The CBC has learned the Terra Trust/Bird Construction group is proposing the new Codiac RCMP headquarters be moved to the former Moncton high school property. (Karin Reid-LeBlanc/CBC)

The CBC has learned the Terra Trust/Bird Construction proposal is to redevelop the former Moncton High property into the new Codiac RCMP headquarters.

Unnamed sources have confirmed that Terra Trust/Bird Construction presented a model to council with the RCMP logo on one building. Sources say there is a second building on the site in the proposal, but details about the RCMP headquarters were vague.

The developer has remained close-mouth ed, despite numerous attempts by the public and councillors to make the plans public.

In a close vote, Moncton city council approved writing a letter of support to the provincial government for Terra Trust/Bird Construction group in January.

At the time, council said it was up to the developer to disclose what it proposed doing with the building. Council asked Terra Trust/Bird to make a public presentation of its plans for the historic former high school by April 30.

The developer did not meet the deadline.

This led to Coun. Shawn Crossman to ask council to withdraw its letter of support on June 6, saying the developer broke its agreement with the city when it did not go public with its plans.

The motion for transparency was voted down at the meeting with councillors Crossman, Bryan Butler and Pierre Boudreau losing to councillors Blair Lawrence, Charles Leger, Greg Turner, Susan Edgett, Robert McKee and Mayor Dawn Arnold.

Moncton council decided earlier this year it would take bids from Terra Trust/Bird Construction, Ellis Don Corporation and the Ashford Group for a new RCMP building to replace this one on Main Street. (Google Street View)

Representatives from Terra Trust/Bird Construction did not speak at that meeting, but Paul Arsenault of Terra Trust sent a letter saying the company wouldn't disclose its plans unless the province accepted the group's proposal.

The CBC has reached out to Terra Trust many times but has never received a response.

The decision about what happens to the former high school ultimately falls to the province, which owns the property. With a price tag of $1 million, the Gothic Revival-style stone building sits on 2.8 hectares in the city's downtown.

The former Moncton High site is within 1,500 metres of the Moncton courthouse.

Another proposal to redevelop the school was submitted by MH Renaissance Inc., a group of business people who want to turn the building into a community centre. The group suggested moving the city library, using it as an anchor tenant, a move the Moncton library board took a firm stand against.

The heritage building has seen controversy before. In 2010, the 82-year-old building was first closed to students over health and safety concerns. Alumni, parents and councilors raised concerns over the fate of the building at the time.

A new Moncton High School was built far from its downtown location on the outskirts of the city, near Royal Oaks golf course, in 2015.

People around Moncton have been concerned with the fate of the former school ever since.