Enhancing the parks green space

Times Reporter

 

A portion of land attached to Kinsmen Park is owned by private individuals, and the Town has been negotiating a purchase of the land for close to a year. The 10-acre parcel of land is located to the east of Kinsmen Park and many residents have assumed it was already a part of the park. 

“The Kinsmen have been saying for quite a while to buy the land,” said Dwight Stanford, Chief Administrative Officer, CAO, for the town. 

The Kinsmen Club has been pushing the town to buy the land for some time and have sent letters asking the town to buy it. When administration received the letters, negotiations had been in the works for quite a while. 

First reading for the borrowing bylaw took place at the Feb. 16 council meeting. The land is being sold to the town at $1,750,000, which administration ensures is a fair price after having an assessment done last fall. Before the sale can go forth the borrowing bylaw must be approved. 

“The town wants to buy that so that we can have more park space and make Kinsmen Park larger,” said Stanford. 

Second and third reading for the bylaw will take place on April 6. 

“That allows for, under the Municipal Government Act, the required time for residents to bring forward a request for a plebiscite,” said Mel Tiede, director of corporate services. 

There is another 30 day waiting period after second and third reading, then the money can be borrowed after that. The first possible day to borrow the money would be May 9. Possession would be June 1, so there is time to get the money to the owners. There are several different owners of the land.  

“I think it’s a really important piece of property for the town. It’s essential as far as expanding that park in the downtown area and make use of it for the Town’s purposes,” said Councillor Pat Fule.

“I think it’s a very wise move, I think it’s something we’re all going to appreciate as time goes on.”

Information about the borrowing bylaw can be reviewed at www.strathmore.ca under public announcements.