INNISFAIL — The municipality has sold its first parcel of land from the newly approved Southwest Industrial Park.
Meghan Jenkins, the town’s director of community services, told council in a brief presentation at its June 13 regular meeting the town had its first formal purchase agreement from the park’s 46 acres of reclaimed sewage treatment plant and lagoon lands south of 37th Street.
This parcel of land, long sought by the town for industrial land development, was finally signed off by the province for redevelopment in late March. It’s now considered by the town as the cornerstone for its long-term vision of the Innisfail Economic Development Strategy & Tactical Plan, also known as Power of Place.
Jenkins asked council to approve the sale of 4.19 acres to the Innisfail Seed Cleaning Plant in the amount $670,400. Town council unanimously approved the sale.
That land sale price reflected council’s approval on May 9 to set a $160,000 price per acre for potential purchasers, which is remaining in place until July 29.
Council was told the $160,000 price is an introductory rate that would be increased later in the year, with servicing of the lands taking place in the fall of 2022 and purchasers taking possession in the spring of 2023.
“Administration has been working with this group for a while, so it's great to see that a deal has come forward,” said Mayor Jean Barclay of the park's first land sale. “We’re very pleased to have them (Innisfail Seed Cleaning Plant) expand their operations within the Town of Innisfail. I look forward to seeing more organizations come forward and purchase land.”
The $670,400 will go towards the cost of redeveloping the new 46-acre industrial park, which will be financed mostly from the $5.5 million the town is seeking through the Borrowing Bylaw, which passed first reading on May 24, and will go through a comprehensive three-month process before final council approval is achieved.
However, council is moving ahead nevertheless.
On June 13, council decided to award a $1,561,577.37 underground utilities work contract at the industrial park to Red Deer’s Northside Construction Partnership.
Council also decided to choose the $700,000 underground power service option for the park over an administration recommendation to pick the $300,000 overhead option.
“I really think that underground is the way to go, out of sight out of mind. Overhead power doesn't look as nice. I think future projects should go underground,” said Coun. Jason Heistad, noting a less than satisfactory past choice by the town in choosing the overhead option.
“We did overhead and looking back on it you'll learn some lessons in municipal politics by going with the cheaper product. It's junk.”
Council was told by administration that by going with the underground option the latest overall industrial park project cost estimate was now at $5,210,122, almost $300,000 below the $5.5 million budget.
