The ADM Flour Mill on Allowance Avenue is the focus of a redevelopment project after the building sat vacant since operations ceased in 2015.--News Photo Collin Gallant
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
A Medicine Hat construction company owner says he plans to purchase the ADM Flour Mill and turn it into a hub for modern manufacturing and green energy development.
Casey Van Maarion told city council Monday he would use part of the space for his own business to manufacture screw pilings for solar farms.
The remainder would be fitted out and marketed to tenants focused on modern energy production – wind, solar, hydrogen or oil and gas.
Engineering, import/export, high-tech, even vertical greenhouse potential in the elevator silos could be possible, he said.
“You can take a look at the Alberta Recovery plan, and basically that would be us,” said Van Maarion, referring to the provincial government’s economic diversification strategy.
The site, at 1222 Allowance Ave., is privately owned, and the city’s only role might be to approve any new use at the facility, which is zoned as a direct control.
A short presentation garnered general interest from councillors, but not much discussion.
“It’s exciting to hear that someone is talking about innovation,” said Coun. Robert Dumanowski. “We’re not making any decisions, but I’m excited to hear about it in the future.”
Van Maarion is a general contractor, and for the past seven years has provided pilings to solar farms. He said too much of the materials and supplies for the construction comes from overseas, and he’d like to bring that production to southeast Alberta.
“We’ve been importing from all over the world, until COVID hit shipping down, and lots of the projects in the region are large, and those products could be built here,” he said.
Van Maarion said he is in the final process of purchasing the building after 18 months of planning.
The mill has been vacant since owner, agri-food giant, Archer Daniels Midland in 2013, when it concentrated production at other facilities in Alberta, laying off about 75 local union workers.
The building is in good shape, according to Joel McNally, of the engineering firm PH McNally, which has been hired by Van Maarion to provide a redesign plan.
The complex comprises nearly 200,000 square feet in two six-storey manufacturing buildings, a large warehouse, plus a 120-foot concrete silo and additional steel grain bins on a spur rail line.
Van Maarion said the rail line is a factor benefit that makes the site more attractive than standard industrial park, and manufacturing would be less obvious and less dangerous than restarting the mill to produce flour.
Skate bylaw delay
The potential elimination of the city’s skateboard bylaw drew a big crowd to Medicine Hat city hall on Monday night, but they left after hearing the process would still take the usual two weeks so downtown business owners can have their say on the change.
Mayor Linnsie Clark told a large group from the Medicine Hat Skateboard Association that, “I’m supportive, and very dedicated to involving the community, and passing it, providing that it’s well-understood,” she said.
Administrators have said the rules in the 2004 bylaw that prohibits skateboards in the entire downtown and other specified areas of the city would conflict with the goal of bringing in e-scooter rentals.
Repealing the bylaw and adding e-scooter and skateboard definitions into the parks and public roads bylaw would allow skateboarding on sidewalks, unless signs otherwise were posted, or other trail or walk users were present.
Chris Nickel of the MHSA told council his group is supportive of relaxing rules about skateboarding. However, there was worry about a overzealous move to post “no skateboarding” signs. He suggested more time was needed to discuss the effects.
Afterwards he said a final vote May 16 was agreeable.
“If it goes through without consultation on the other side, you risk getting push back,” he told the News.
Council heard about the group’s charitable activities and also it spearheading skate park construction in Medicine Hat.
Coun. Darren Hirsch said “the (MHSA) reputation is immaculate, but we need to talk about the safety aspects.”
Coun. Shila Sharps also supported the move, but said waiting for a third reading would result in a better decision.
“I’d love to pass it tonight, but I want to know that we’ve let (downtown) business owners have their say,” she said.
Coun. Allison Knodel moved a motion to have staff reach out to the downtown business owners for feedback.
