City could see 18 properties on tax auction block next month

By Collin Gallant on February 27, 2018.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com @CollinGallant

A derelict building on Bridge Street and an auto wreckers that was partially damaged by fire late last year are among 18 properties that could go to tax auction in March.

Tuesday’s meeting of corporate services committee was slated to accept this year’s list of properties that are to go tax auction next month.

It’s a final avenue for local government to recover tax amounts that have been owing for several years.

Officials also state very few properties are ever offered for sale as mortgage holders or owners usually step in protect their investments.

The storage facility located at 920 Bridge St. was once the original location of Revelstoke Lumber in Medicine Hat, but has changed ownership several times since the 1990s.

It now sits vacant and unheated at the site beside the Allowance Avenue overpass, from which holes in the roof trusses and water damage can be seen.

The city’s planning department and building inspectors have told the News recently that they have actively monitored the situation, and even order the site be tidied last year.

It’s not known who currently owns the building.

However, since there is no perceived threat to public safety, there’s little further action officials can take.

Among this year’s properties are seven addresses, two condo parking stalls and nine mobile home lots.

An autowrecking yard at 1763 Semrau Dr. is also listed for sale with a reserve bid of $1 million.

It was the site of a structure fire in early December which authorities determined was accidental.

Five residential lots and buildings are priced between $230,000 and $350,000.

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