After five years of discussions, the Amber Valley Community Association has an agreement with the province to purchase the land the Amber Valley Cultural Centre has been on since the 1990s.
Amber Valley Community Association president Gil Williams said the association decided to buy the land for $52,000 rather than accept the government’s offer for a reduced cost, long-term lease on the Crown land.
“I think this is good, because we have better control,” he said. “Now the land is ours, whatever the community or membership wants to do they can do it without questions with development permit.”
He added the association was hoping for a lower figure, because they are a nonprofit. Just before the deal’s deadline, the province came back with the option to lease the land for another 25 years at $32,000.
“We decided, we’re spending $32,000 after 25 years and the purchase is only $52,000; we might as well just go ahead and purchase,” he said.
Williams added that after a 25-year lease, the land value would have increased, so it made sense to purchase now.
Athabasca County Coun. Kevin Haines said in an interview he has been working with Amber Valley from the beginning to see the deal through.
Haines also said he was “disappointed” with the government’s offer.
“I think some of the executive and myself were under the idea that the land would be transferred, either a lot cheaper or for free,” he said.
During the Oct. 10 Athabasca County council meeting, Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater MLA Colin Piquette appeared before council to discuss the hall’s sale, among other items.
Haines expressed his disappointment, but added Piquette “did the best (he) could do there.”
“But I think it’s unfortunate,” he said. He added the market value of surrounding land was at $1,000/acre, and the association was hoping to buy the land for $20,000-25,000.
Piquette noted that the province’s appraisal of the land came out to $97,000, so the price came out at half the original value. He added he got the association another option, the 25-year lease option, and “they’ve decided not to pursue it.”
“They made that choice. I’ve done everything possibly could to facilitate that,” he said. “I’m not done working with them. I want to see that site ... become a real asset for the region.
“I wish they used that money towards expanding the facility rather than giving it to the province, but that’s their problem,” he added.
Williams said in the past the association has run into red tape when they try to develop the land. He said owning the land will allow them to pursue ideas such as building a security fence and renovating their museum.
“Yes, now we own the land we can lobby it, see if we can get some funding to do the museum,” he said. “It’s just a matter of how big and that sort of thing. That would be great if we do that.”
