Report on Lake Country Co-op land purchase offer pulled from Dec. 16 meeting agenda for more consultation says planning director

Herald file photo. Prince Albert City Hall.

A Lake Country Co-operative Association offer to purchase land south of the Alfred Jenkins Field House is on hold after administration asked council to remove the item from the agenda at their Dec. 16 council meeting.

Administration had recommended council approve the sale, which would have seen Lake Country pay $400,000 plus GST for the property located at the intersection of 10th Avenue and 28th Street West. A report in the agenda package stated Lake Country had “communicated a desire to establish a multi-unit commercial building in the West Hill, which they intend to use for their remaining liquor license and develop a Liquor Store, as well as other commercial uses.”

On Thursday, Planning and Development Director Craig Guidinger said they have received plenty of correspondence about the proposal, and felt more consultation was needed.

“If we would have moved the report ahead, I think we just wouldn’t have been doing the topic justice without getting that breadth of public feedback,” Guidinger said during an interview with the Daily Herald.

“Whenever we prepare a report to council we want to make sure we put council in the best position possible to make a decision. Now leading up to that council … we were getting some inquiries and some questions that put us in a position to think maybe some further consultation is warranted. Let’s talk a little bit more to the Co-op. Let’s talk a little bit more to First Nations University and members of the public as well so we can provide council with the information that they need to make that decision.”

Lake Country is one of two organizations with plans for the property. The First Nations University (FNU) sent the City a letter of intent (LOI) in 2022 outlining their plans to purchase the same land for their future campus.

There are also plans for a new Francophone school and a Metis Nation – Saskatchewan daycare facility on different properties in the area.

“There’s potential for a bit of an educational hub in that area, however at the same time, the West Hill masterplan does allow for and show a commercial zoned district in the general area as well. It’s just all things that need to be considered,” Guidinger said.

“Co-op is a really important partner for the city, and the First Nations University is showing a lot of initiative in the development of a new university,” he added. “(They’re) really important partners to the City of Prince Albert and we want to make sure we accommodate everyone as best as we can so that everyone walks away happy.”

According to the City report, Lake Country is considering a multi-bay commercial area with options for several stores, one of which would be a liquor store. Lake Country has the only remaining available liquor license in Prince Albert, according to the report, but there is a timeline within which it needs to be used according to SLGA regulations.

Guidinger said Monday’s report was focused on the sale of the property, and not the development. He said any plans Lake Country has for the property will still need approval.

The area is currently zoned as discretionary use, Guidinger said, which means council is free to reject proposals for a new liquor store. However, he added, there are no bylaws preventing such stores from being built within things like parks or playgrounds.

The only bylaw, he said, is one that prevents a new liquor store from opening within 500m of an existing one.

Guidinger said they have already begun the consultation process and hope to make a decision “early in the New Year” on whether or not to bring the item back before council

@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca

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