Former Town Hall sold to Siksika Affordable Housing Corporation

By John Watson Local Journalism initiative Reporter

The former Town of Strathmore municipal building, located on Westchester Road, has officially sold to the Siksika Affordable Housing Corporation.

Following the move of town staff to the new municipal building located towards the north end of Kinsmen Park at the end of January 2021, the older municipal building was listed for sale in May 2021. An offer to purchase was made on July 8, 2021 and Council accepted the offer on July 14, 2021. The sale was completed as of Dec. 21, 2021. 

Fule added the town believed the move would be healthier for the town in the long run, as well as better for town staff to operate out of a new building better suited to their current needs rather than trying to make the old facility work.

“We knew we couldn’t house all our staff anymore. Our staff was quite a bit crowded in there and there were a lot of things that we wanted to improve as far as the building (was concerned),” said Fule. “We thought it was better to move than to try to renovate, and so we also thought that having a new town hall in the downtown area would help support a lot of the businesses down there and it would bring more energy to the downtown and the Kinsmen Park area.”

Nowadays, there are 70 to 80 town staff working out of the new facility on a daily basis. 

Despite the town having not been in a rush to sell the old building, having a deal go to tender will provide Strathmore with an injection of what Fule said is much needed capital.

According to Geoff Person, manager of communications, marketing and economic development with the Town, “Strathmore Town Council accepted an offer of $1.4 million for (the) property.” 

One possibility that is on the table for the income generated from the sale of the building is to, among other things, cover the potential cost of the retroactive backpay the town may be responsible for distributing to the local RCMP detachment.

“I was told to expect, if it is passed down to each town and city, it’s about $40,000-$50,000 per member, and Strathmore has 16 RCMP members, so if we’re on the hook for that retroactive backpay, that’s well over $700,000,” said Fule.

“Our finance department has given sage advice and said to have that money available in case we do have to pay that. We don’t want it to wind up being a property tax increase for our residents.”

For Siksika, the building will serve as office space for the Affordable Housing Corporation and be a local facility for residents to access social services.

“I believe there’s a really good trust between Siksika Nation and the Town of Strathmore and … both councils have worked really hard to find common ground and work together towards different things,” added Fule. “This is just one more example of the good work that both sides have done (that) has led to something that’s good for both sides.”

Fule did not suggest a timeline for when the Siksika Affordable Housing Corporation would officially move into the building.