The former Algo Mall property, which has sat vacant since the mall collapse that claimed two lives in 2012 and was purchased by the city for close to $1 million in April, will be going on the sales block again, a unanimous and newly elected council decided at its first regular council meeting on Nov. 28.
The 13-acre property known as 151 Ontario Ave. was declared surplus, paving the way for the sale. It was on a motion from Coun. Norman Mann that the motion to sell was approved.
Mann said the property, which he voted against purchasing and campaigned to sell, could be developed into a mix of commercial and residential uses. Possible purchasers of part or all of the property would decide on the type of development and prepare a bid to the city’s economic development department which would work on it before it goes to the council for any final approval.
Initially, the plan was for the city to purchase the property and build a multi-million-dollar recreation hub on the site. Failure to secure any funding from the federal or provincial levels of government has put that plan to rest for now.
Mayor Chris Patrie, who also originally voted against the purchase, said the land could see several different developers come forward with plans to purchase parcels of it that would need to be severed depending on whether the plans involved commercial or residential aspects.
— ElliotLakeToday
