SANDRA M STANWAY
Brooks Bulletin
The city announced last Wednesday that it had postponed the Sept. 16 public hearing into the re-designation of the old rodeo grounds to an unknown date.
Following an in-camera meeting with members of Christ the Redeemer on July 2, the city moved out of camera to approve giving the school the 23.5-acre recreational property to build a new high school.
Before it can be constructed, the property has to be rezoned to public and quasi-public and discussed during a public hearing.
“The decision to reschedule the hearing allows for ongoing discussions focused on ensuring the most efficient and collaborative use of this valuable space,” states a city press release.
“The intended future use for the site includes not only the construction of a secondary school, but also the development of additional public amenities, such as field space and recreational facilities.”
Residents have told the city through surveys they want the property to contain recreation and walking paths and the soccer association has also said they want the site for a 14-pitch area and got the thumbs-up from the recreation board.
Mayor John Petrie said the additional planning time will allow the city, “To collaborate effectively, ensuring that we maximize the potential of this space to benefit the entire community.
“In order to better accommodate these opportunities and integrate both uses on the site, the city has chosen to take extra time for thoughtful planning, consultation and communication with stakeholders.”
The city noted that rescheduling the hearing doesn’t change council’s intention to use this land as a school site and it doesn’t disrupt the school’s proposal to the province of Alberta to construct the school on the property.
“By investigating the opportunity for both educational facilities and community amenities, we aim to create a multi-use area that serves the needs of our growing population.”
Continued feedback on the discussion is encouraged as the city wants to “build a space that reflects the community’s needs and priorities.”
