Long-vacant waterfront lot getting a home

A waterfront lot at the bottom of Division Avenue that has been vacant for nearly five decades is coming to life with construction of a family home.

A “panhandle” shaped lot with the driveway parallel to the South Saskatchewan River is tucked in behind a house that fronts on to First Street SW. The address is 2 Division Ave. SW.

“It is very unique,” said Erin Onoferychuk, superintendent of planning, implementation for the city’s planning and development services.

The lot itself is 2,410 square metres.

“It’s very big,” said Onoferychuk. “It’s zoned low density residential so a house is an appropriate use on the site.”

The one-and-a-half storey family home with five bedrooms is about 5,065 square feet or 470 square metres, said Onoferychuk.

The panhandle shaped lot does not extend all the way to the South Saskatchewan River. Between the river and the lot is provincially protected reserve land, which cannot be developed, said Onoferychuk.

The development permit was issued to Valk Construction in June 2020, followed by a building permit.

Hatters may remember the intersection of Division and First Street boasting an historically significant residence on the southwest corner. That home was demolished and currently a couple of threefloor townhouses are being constructed on that site.

Further toward the river behind the townhouses are two small apartment buildings, and between those and the river there is a very small older house. That house is not part of the lot for this new home being built. In fact the driveway runs alongside the lot on which the small house is situated.

Onoferychuk says the 2 Division Ave. SW lot was previously owned but not developed because one of the drawbacks was the cost of putting in water and sewer services. The servicing was difficult and expensive and covered by the developer.

The lot was finally put up for sale and sold to the developer. The lot was registered with land titles in 1974 and it may have been subdivided from an adjacent lot in 1973, said Onoferychuk.

NEWS PHOTO A waterfront lot, which has sat vacant for decades due to the cost of putting in services, is now a building site for a large family home at the bottom of Division Avenue and behind a home that fronts onto First Street SW.