Workers prepare to lay bricks on Friday at the site of "McKenzie Mews", a new housing development on Dominion Street that incorporates the McKenzie Sharland Grocery (right) which was designated as a Municipal Historic Resource this week. - News Photo Collin Gallant
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After an eight-year process, the flood-damaged McKenzie Sharland Grocery has been deemed a municipal historic resource while the surrounding new housing development is well underway.
A ceremony this week bestowed the plaque for the 109-year-old building that has been closed since the 2013 flood, but will be a focal common building in the “McKenzie Mews” condo development on Dominion Street.
“It’s a good thing that we didn’t know what would be involved in restoring these buildings,” joked Malcolm Sissons, the head of Cube Development. “Fortunately, we have had a lot of good advice and some amazing work by our trades.”
Major construction on the surrounding buildings was underway that winter in a “pocket neighbourhood plan” that places 11 new homes (including one and two bedroom units) around an inner courtyard with separate private garages accessible from the street.
The City of Medicine Hat purchased the land under the historic building as part of a 2013 flood property program. It was sold in 2016 to Cube, which arranged privately the adjoining parcels on the half-block next to Washington Avenue.
The designation shows “how strong preservation policies can act as scaffolding for private sector development” said Aaron Nelson the city’s manager of culture and events.
Local firm wins contract
Terralta will design and build a new solar parking canopy at the Spark Science Centre in Calgary, the Medicine Hat renewable energy project company has announced.
The 1.2-megawatt system should provide enough power to cover the centre’s annual operations and is part of other upgrades and renovations worth a total of $3.9 million. The main contractor on the project is the Cana Group of Companies.
The City of Calgary project, officially known as the Renfrew Carpark, is located near the Calgary Zoo.
Business awards
The upcoming Chamber of Commerce business awards gala has been moved to an online format, the business group announced Friday.
Those registering for the Friday, Oct. 22 event will be eligible for special take-out offers from six local restaurants and be able to mingle in the virtual format prior to the event.
Awards in 14 categories will be announced beginning at 6 p.m. that day. Tickets are available through the Medicine Hat and District Chamber of Commerce website.
Oyen wind projects
Two separate major wind projects made applications to Alberta utility regulators this week to reduce the number of turbine tower sites near Oyen and the M.D. of Acadia.
The Lanfine wind project would also change ownership from Pattern Development to a subsidiary named Lanfine Wind 1 General Partnership.
The Sharp Hills wind project, located between New Brigden and Sedalia in Special Areas No. 2, would also see towers reduced from 71 to 67 as higher capacity turbines are employed. Towers would also be reduced in height by 23 metres, to 105 metres, while rotor diameter would increase slightly. A new in service date would be the end of 2023. The developer, EDP Renewables recently announced that production at the facility would be sold under contract to TC Energy.
Submission dates from the public on the applications to the Alberta Utilities Commission are Nov. 3 in the case of Lanfine and Nov. 4 for Sharp Hills.
