City Council on Monday gave approval for the Lloydminster Interval Home Society to purchase land near the former Martin Browne School.
The deal calls for a $600,000 purchase of 1.03 acres of land just northeast of 4812 – 56 Avenue [site of the former school].
Council also approved that half of the sale revenue will go towards the Martin Browne Redevelopment Plan.
Mayor Gerald Aalbers addressed concerns around the need to preserve the park in that area.
“We heard very clearly from our discussions about the Martin Browne Redevelopment Area, that people wanted to keep a very big part of the park there, and we see this as being able to do that from the perspective that it enhances the community. The Interval Home plays a unique piece of our community. So they’re taking up a piece of ground that would have been occupied by the School.”
The Mayor says there will be a public hearing and further discussions. He pointed out that the sale of the property will provide income to enhance the park that will not be taxpayers dollars.
Aalbers says the Interval Home has been on the hunt for a larger space to call home, where they can fit into the community and serve their clients.
“We have had discussions for five years with Interval Home at different [points], and have asked them to talk to private developers and private land developers. They came back and said,’Hey I think we can make this work.’ They came back with a conceptual plan that was brought to Administration and reviewed, and I think it’s going to be a great fit for the neighbourhood.”