Good to grow : Yellowhead County purchase set for 50 years of growth
Following a submission to Yellowhead County Council in budget presentations in 2016 it was decided, going forward, that more shop space and storage facility would be required. Initially the plan was to look at building on the back of the county’s existing property in Edson. However, chance and circumstances took a hand and Yellowhead County recently purchased a 17-acre parcel of land adjacent to its facility in Edson for $8.5 million. The property in question is described as a serviced land base and includes more than 50,000 square feet of office and shop space. In addition to the property’s usability and potential one could argue that in terms of “location, location, location,” the parcel is hard to beat.
We spoke to Jack Ramme, chief administrative officer (CAO) of Yellowhead County about the purchase.
Ramme said he noted from looking out the window that property belonging to an energy company was empty. On making inquiries there was a possibility that the company may be willing to sell. That deal fell through but a neighbouring property may be worth checking out. Following council preference to buy suitable property rather than build it Ramme said he made inquiries about the other property. The property’s owners (another company) said it might consider selling if it could lease some of the space back in the short term. Negotiations took place and although Ramme said the price was a little more than it would have cost to build something. However, “The beauty of it is that it’s (the property) bigger than what we would have built. It has more features than we would have considered and we have a massive land mass that gives us all kinds of storage and opportunities for the future,” said Ramme. “The property ties in nicely with everything we have here.” The tenant is also going to cost share for the next two years for the main building and an option for leasing the other facility for up to four years. “The worst-case scenario from a county perspective is that we have a tenant for four years,” said Ramme. “I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome for the long range of the county.”
Going forward and with new provisions in the Municipal Government Act and the potential to develop inter-municipal Collaboration Framework Agreements Ramme said that there have been discussions with the Town of Edson, which had been looking at building a fire training facility. It is possible that one of the first Edson-county partnerships could be, in regard to this proposed project, now that the county has a fenced site, with water, sewer, power and classrooms. “We’re going to sit down and talk about that as one of the first partnerships that might work for the betterment of both municipalities,” said Ramme.
With the new property, the county has the opportunity to centralise and consider developing yet more inter-municipal Collaboration Framework Agreements. Ramme said that another possibility is the Town of Edson’s Constable Program, which has been pitched to the town. “We have the expertise,” said Ramme. If they want. We could contract that service for them.” The new property, “Gives the county so much more flexibility in terms of its operation,” he said. “It (the property) gives us a massive footprint for 50 years.”