The city is pondering what to do with this three-acre parcel of land. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

New development?

City explores future of Angus Merasty school site

Apr 20, 2021 | 5:15 PM

The future of the old Angus Merasty school site was up for discussion on Monday night as council explored options for its development as a residential infill neighbourhood.

At the meeting, the city’s politicians gave tentative approval to a plan to invite developers to submit their visions for a potential subdivision at the West Hill location.

The city’s director of planning and development services told council the city would be under no obligation to accept any offers received and could choose not to sell the property if it wished. If council received an offer it was interested in pursuing, a community meeting would then be held to get feedback on the plan from the neighborhood.

The city acquired the shuttered Angus Merasty School and the three-acre parcel it sat on through a land swap deal with Prince Albert Grand Council in 2019. It demolished the building shortly after and seeded the entire area to grass.

Coun. Ted Zurakowski, who represents the area, said he is “open to all ideas” for what to do with land.

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“I’m not judging until I see the developers’ ideas come back,” he told paNOW after the meeting.

However, he emphasized community consultation will be essential going forward and he expects a portion of park space will be protected if development does go ahead.

Preserving green space at the location was a focus on discussion on Monday night.

Coun. Terra Lennox-Zepp said she’d heard from residents in the area who felt like they didn’t have enough parks within walking distance of their homes.

“There is an impetus to just leave the green space that we have currently,” she said.

Mayor Greg Dionne disagreed.

“I certainly wouldn’t support a three-acre park,” Dionne said. “We have parks all over.”

Speaking to paNOW after the meeting, he said he would recommend the installation of a playground–paid for by the developer–be a condition of any potential sale.

“I propose we’re going to put a similar structure as the one we put in at Muzzy Drive. It’s the most modern,” Dionne said.

The city will put out a call for interested developers to submit their ideas next week.

Editor’s note: this story has been amended to make clear that the city will put the call out for developers next week, not the week after as a previous version reported.

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom