cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
A proposed building swap could mean a new location and expanded services for the Medicine Hat and District Food Bank if it is approved at Monday night’s city council meeting.
A release from the food bank on Friday afternoon and the agenda posted on the city’s web page details the idea to build the agency’s proposed “Community Food and Wellness Hub” in the former Maple Avenue Fire Hall.
The city’s land department would acquire the current food bank location on South Railway Street and $800,000 in cash in the deal, and the food bank would begin its long-held plan to expand its programming and add badly needed space.
Food bank executive director Celina Symmonds said it “sees to be a perfect location for our vision.”
“We are thrilled. Our next steps will be to consult the community, speak with new potential neighbours and ensure the building is the right fit for our needs.”
The Maple Avenue station has been vacant and on the market since Station No. 1 was relocated to a new facility north end of the Maple Avenue Bridge in the summer of 2018.
The purchase price of the fire hall would be $1.3 million, though as part of the deal, the city would acquire the current food bank location on South Railway Street for $500,000, plus transaction costs, in a deal that would close in October.
The difference would be an $800,000 gain for the city’s land department, if council approves the deal when it meets on Monday evening at the Esplanade Studio Theatre.
For several years the food bank has discussed the Hub plan, stating the current facility was too small for their needs already, and the desire to concentrate on food sustainability through educational programs would also require more space.
Fundraising and discussions with potential partners have been ongoing for five years.
The food bank had been in advanced talks with the Medicine Hat Public School Division to see the hub located at the former Central Park School once the current tenant, École les Cypres Francophone school, moves to a new facility in Saamis this fall.
Residents of the Southeast Hill expressed concern however about operations, outreach programming, deliveries and client visits to the largely residential neighbourhood.
The effort was also to include drop-in coffee and a potential “pay what you want” restaurant for clients, leaving some residents worried about foot traffic from downtown or safety in neighbouring Central Park to calls for more community consultation.
Both the district and food bank said the project wouldn’t proceed without the community being on board.
The 39,000 square foot firehall that has a large bay and administration offices on the second floor are described in city sales materials as a potential site for mixed-use commercial development on one of Medicine Hat’s busiest roads.
It had listed the building for sale at $1.5 million last year, but previously the sale of the smaller, No. 2 fire station on Dunmore Road went through several iterations of marketing before selling for $590,000, below asking price, in 2017.
