Split council votes to refurbish vacant lot
City councillors vigorously debated Monday whether to spend $300,000 to upgrade and repair the parking lot at 603 First St. SE, while approving potentially $7 million in other spending without too much banter.
Council approved a suggested tender of $1.47 million to replace the boiler at the Esplanade and another $5.5 million for the previously proposed Taxiway A Rehabilitation at the Medicine Hat Regional Airport.
However, it was the First Street lot that dominated discussion at Monday evening’s council meeting. The city’s development and infrastructure committee looked at several options but in the end, recommended the cheapest — spending $300,000 on re-asphalting, adding parking lot lights and some decorative planters to make the lot more aesthetically pleasing.
Several councillors suggested there should be another option considered — spend nothing, sell the lot and allow for private development.
“I would just love to see this lot sold,” said Coun. Jim Turner. “We have owned this lot for 40-plus years. We have collected zero taxes on this piece of property ... We are getting a little bit of revenue (from parking stalls), but I would like to see this property put up for development rather than just make it into a parking lot.”
“I disagree that something needs to be done with that lot (to enhance it),” agreed Coun. Celina Symmonds, who put forth a motion to send it back to committee with the directive to sell.
Coun. Robert Dumanowski stood by his committee’s recommendation to spend the $300,000.
“It is unfortunate we were unable to develop it. I know the mayor had a vision, and I supported it, around this property,” he said, alluding to a proposal made in the last civic election. “We have tried many times. One thing we held true to is we can hold this property and maintain it for parking purposes, which we need downtown ... There are a lot of people who will see this price tag, and think it is $300,000 too much. But we need to do something.”
“This lot is an embarrassment for people coming into our city,” agreed Coun. Jamie McIntosh. “I think this decision to spend $300,000 is the right one right now. It will fix it up, giving more opportunities for whatever else might happen down the road; which could certainly be selling the lot for somebody to build something on it.”
After some further discussion, Mayor Clugston called for a vote on Symmond’s motion to sell. It was defeated 6-3, with Varga, Symmonds and Turner dissenting.
Mayor Ted Clugston reminded council about the new development downtown since the 2013 election.
“The Beveridge didn’t exist,” he said. “Now, it has become that landmark building, in some ways, downtown we always hoped for as a gateway. And guess what? It needs a lot of parking, especially at night and on the weekends. And so maybe this highest and best use of this piece of property for this point in time is a parking lot.”
Clugston called for a vote on the committee’s recommendation to spend $300,000 to rehabilitate the First Street lot. It passed 6-3, with Varga, Symmonds and Turner dissenting.