The Town of Okotoks will buy a property downtown on McRae Street near the municipal centre it believes could have a valuable use in the future. Councillors voted to purchase a lot at 8 McRae St. for $685,000.
The Town of Okotoks will buy a property downtown on McRae Street near the municipal centre it believes could have a valuable use in the future.
Councillors voted to purchase a lot at 8 McRae St. for $685,000. The lot is next to a public parking lot and the Town-owned Stockton Block.
Okotoks Mayor Bill Robertson said the Town hasn’t identified any specific potential uses for the property for now.
The Town believed the lot could have a strategic value for the future or for eventual development.
Town administration will review options and report to council in the near future.
Robertson said it could be used to expand the existing parking lot next door, or for future office space for Town employees.
“With growth in our community, growing up to 70,000 we’re going to need more municipal space in the downtown,” he said.
For now, he said he would prefer to rent it out to a tenant until the Town determines a long-term plan for the building.
He was one of two members of council – himself and Coun. Tanya Thorn – to vote against purchasing the property.
He said he supports the will of council and will back efforts to come up with a long-term plan for the land.
However, at the time of the vote he said he felt the money going towards the purchase could have been better used for a water pipeline.
“Our number one concern, in my opinion, is achievement of a water pipeline for the Town of Okotoks, which could be extremely expensive. Based on that I didn’t think it was the best thing to buy at this time, but the decision was made by council, it’s the will of council so I support the will of council.”
