Institution expanding medium, minimum bed counts

The Drumheller Institution will see bed expansion in both their medium and minimum security units, with work scheduled to begin late this summer.

    Public Works and Government Services Canada said the design for a 96 bed expansion in the jail’s medium security unit has already been complete, and tenders will be accepted sometime in July for a 50 bed expansion of the minimum security units. Tenders will be posted shortly for a 40 day period, said Jeanette Dotimas of Public Works and Government Services Canada.
    “As with the 96 bed medium security units, work on the 50 bed units will be completed by the end of the 2012-2013 fiscal year,” said Dotimas.
    Construction contracts are anticipated to be awarded in August, with on-site work to start late this summer. Construction work is expected to take 16 months.
    “We expect on-site work for the 50 bed units to commence this fall, and the work to be completed by the end of the 2012-2013 fiscal year.”
    The federal government announced this summer that it was investing $50 million in the expansions at both Drumheller and Bowden Institutions, but Dotimas said it would be inappropriate to comment on how much these expansions would cost as the contracts have not been awarded.
    She said offering separate tenders for Bowden and Drumheller will allow for greater competition and greater opportunity for completion within the construction schedule.