Sharing a building with nearby cities, the Town of Gilbert has long wanted to have its own centralized location for the training of new police officers and firefighters.
Now the town, which has seen its population jump from 208,000 just 6 years ago to more than 242,000 today, has announced plans to build a modern, all-inclusive $84 million training facility.
That structure will go up on a currently vacant swath of desert land on the northwest corner of S. Power Road and E. Old Pecos Road.
Whether the project actually becomes reality will depend on local voters approving a $65.3 million bond to build the new facility.
The remaining $20 million or so for the project is coming from the sale of town-owned land previously designated for the facility.
As planned, the new training facility would measure around 158,000 square feet and will include classrooms, administrative offices, and a fitness center.
Adjacent to the structure will be a K-9 training area, shooting range, driving tracks, and 5-story apartment tower to be used for firefighter response training.
Gilbert officials have said that if the bond is passed, design work will begin on the new project almost immediately, with construction expected to launch by next spring.
By Garry Boulard
