What Should Seekonk Selectmen Do About Police Association Building?

Seekonk selectmen discussed the possibilities of use for the Police Association building behind the library this week.

The building originally served as a shooting range for the police and was built for no cost to the town by the Police Association. It was later used as a training facility.

Police Chief Ronald Charron said that the town should find a use for the building.

“I would suggest you maybe look at the potential of the building is, because when it’s gone, it’s gone,” he said. “I think it has potential for a third life, so to speak, for the town.”

Town administrator Pamela Nolan said regardless of what the town plans to do, the space needs to be remediated. She said there is black mold growing in the building and lead (from the bullets from the range). Nolan added that even if the building is torn down, the remediation would have to take place.

Nolan said that the first step would be to hire a firm to analyze the amount of mold and estimate the cost of said remediation, which has been calculated at $1,945.

Selectmen David Parker said that he has spoken with many town officials, including the building inspector, and the outlook is not good. He said that the fire department doesn’t like it because there’s no real access to the facility. The Conservation Commission said they haven’t been able to find a way to build a road to get access there.

“We’re not going to be able to use that building for anything in town ever,” he said. “The building inspector said, ‘You’ll never be able to use this building ever.’”