Wheatland County gives nod to Oxbow annex

Sharon McLeay
Times Contributor

 

On April 19, Teslec Property Corporation and the Town of Strathmore wanted some indication as to Wheatland County council’s leanings toward the possible annexation by the Town of Strathmore of approximately 320 acres containing the Oxbow golf course.
“Adding the above lands to the Town of Strathmore would enable full consideration of servicing, including but not limiting, the provision of potable water to the prospective subdivision,” said Mayor Michael Ell, in his correspondence to Wheatland council. “Annexing the adjoining roadways, namely the affected portion of the Wildflower Road, along with a one-mile stretch of the North Boundary Road and ½ mile stretch of Range Road 254, will enable the town to revisit and refine the future ring road planned along the northwest perimeter of town.”
Teslec Property Corporation is proposing to develop villa-style senior residences by the golf course, add a wetlands interpretive centre and link pathways into the Town of Strathmore’s parks and pathway system. The owner indicated if the annexation did not take place, there may be a real possibility that the golf course would no longer be economically viable and may have to close. Current county servicing requirements, in their opinion, would make it difficult to go ahead with future development.
“Council accepts that this particular proposal makes sense,” said Councillor Rex Harwood. “However, I have reservations about what it would mean for other landowners close to Strathmore.”
Other councillors had similar reservations and wondered if it would set precedents for county landowners surrounding Strathmore boundaries.
“The proper processes would have to be followed,” indicated Wheatland County CAO Alan Parkin. “But in this particular case, it will speed things up considerably if council is on side with this.”
Council indicated that it was favourable to the idea; however, they would revisit this particular request after they received more information and they met with the Town of Strathmore at a meeting scheduled in June, which will include discussion of land adjacent to each other’s boundaries.