County to reimburse Lakes of Muirfield, Lyalta Community Club

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Wheatland County council discussed a motion to reimburse the Lyalta Community Club and Lakes of Muirfield Homeowners Association for the purchase of land for community use and the provision of in-kind work.

The motion stemmed from requests from the organizations made to the county, which were brought forward during the May 20 regular meeting.

Coun. Scott Klassen iterated a follow up regarding a notice of motion made at the previous meeting of council to reimburse the Lyalta Community Club and Lakes of Muirfield Homeowners Association in the amount of $52,697.37.

“We were the developers of the land at the time and … being the representative of the area looking at how the development was designed as a retirement area, definitely the demographics are not what it is. There are a lot of double-income families, a lot of kids there,” said Klassen. “Looking back on what we have done in the past, we put an outdoor rink on our lands trying to help them out, and then of course, that land is more developable and more valuable as a development so we said it had to go.”

Klassen justified his motion such that should the county have had to take developable land out from within the Lakes of Muirfield boundaries, that land would have been worth substantially more than what was originally dealt with. 

He added lots are currently selling in the realm of $200,000, as opposed to approximately $60,000 as they were previously listed by the county.

“There is a lot of development coming in. Right now, there is about 200 doors in the subdivision and then I believe it is over 100 more coming of residents. The average house pays between $6,000 and $7,000 a year in taxes and that includes school tax,” he said. “I am really happy that they were able to find an area, revitalize a community club that has been there – I think it is going on its 50-year anniversary, and expand it and be able to build a pathway over it.”

As part of Klassen’s motion, he suggested the reimbursement of the requesting organizations come out of the Lakes of Muirfield reserve, which as of Dec. 31, contained $8.6 million.

Coun. Glenn Koester noted the reserve fund is purposed for the development of a sanitary sewer service for the Lakes of Muirfield community, which the county has successfully acquired a grant for, and has not been brought to development yet. 

He voiced a concern that should the county not spend the grant as it had been intended, it will be reclaimed by the province. 

Currently, sewage from the Lakes of Muirfield is being trucked to the Hamlet of Carseland with no specific end date to this contingency being currently established. 

Koester added he is objected to spending reserve money on expenses related to the county until after a report on a sanitary sewer service for Lakes of Muirfield is provided to council. 

Following discussion and debate, Klassen’s motion to reimburse the Lyalta Community Club and Lakes of Muirfield Homeowners Association was carried in a vote of 6-1 in favour.