What exactly will happen at this location is still not decided with Miller Contracting asking to change their plan. (Susan McNeil/paNOW Staff)

By Susan McNeil

Agnus Merasty school site re-development

Old school site development sent back to the drawing board

Apr 25, 2023 | 5:00 PM

What will happen to the now-empty parcel of land that used to hold the Agnus Merasty School will go back to the drawing board.

City councillors want more green space and Miller Contracting said the situation has changed and the plan needs to as well. Planning and Development manager Craig Guidinger told council on Monday that the company wants to modify their plan.

“Considering the cost of housing, considering the new mortgage rules, interest rates etc, etc, they don’t feel this concept hits the mark of what it once did a few years ago,” Guidinger said.

The plan that was created and presented to council several weeks ago is a cul de sac with 20 lots and a strip of green space adjacent to Fifth Avenue West.

This was to be the plan for developing the old Angus Merasty school site into residential lots, but the developer says things have changed. (council agenda/City of Prince Albert)

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Councillor Terra Lennox-Zepp said she thought the public would want to see a concept before it was approved, and the neighbourhood wants several play structures.

“The issue for the public is green space,” she said, adding that right now the empty area is used by children playing and for people to walk their dogs.

“We’ve put out a very small amount of green space as opposed to what the public are expecting,” Lennox-Zepp said.

Miller Contracting wants to change their proposal. A public meeting that was supposed to happen before the end of June will be delayed until the fall at least.

The site is located in Ward 8, which does not have a councillor and will not be held until a byelection at the end of May. Previous councillor Ted Zurakowski resigned several months ago.

Coun. Dennis Ogrodnick was also opposed to the first concept for two reasons; one is that he doesn’t like cul de sacs because winter street maintenance is a challenge, and the green space was inadequate.

“To me that’s not green space, that strip. I didn’t like that,” he said.

The original proposal had a range of green space with a minimum of a half acre.

Council voted to refer the matter to the planning department for more review and gave no deadline.

The school building at the location has been removed. (file photo/paNOW Staff)

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com