WILLIAMSBURG — After several years of exploring the possibilities of building a public safety complex, officials are hoping to move the process forward and will hold two public forums to share the latest information on the project.
The Owners Project Manager Steering Committee for the Public Safety Complex will host the first open forum on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at the Anne T. Dunphy School and the second on Thursday, Oct. 3, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the same location.
According to steering committee member Jim Ayres, a number of groups have gathered information on the necessity of a public safety complex, building plans, potential locations and costs.
Over the past year, the steering committee has been evaluating that data, Ayers said, testing the viability of every scenario and ruling out options that would not work.
“There were originally over 100 sites suggested,” Ayres said. “We want the community to know how we got here, and that the process has been a very deliberate one.”
The location for the complex has been narrowed down to either the former Helen E. James School or property located at 16 Main St.
According to Ayres, one of the biggest issues now is whether to refurbish the school and use it as part of a new complex or tear it down and begin from scratch.
“If we use it and bring the building up to code, that will cost a lot more,” he said. “We also know that there is a lot of attachment to the school for a lot of different reasons and we need to weigh that against the final cost of the project.”
The forum will feature a brief presentation, after which people will have the opportunity to visit various stations focused on topics such as building plans and the Helen E. James site, as well as previous options and financial considerations.
Steering committee members are hoping feedback from the community will help inform their next moves.