(City of Medicine Hat)

By Eli J. Ridder | @EliRidder

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Medicine Hat city council to decide fate of old food bank building

Feb 5, 2024 | 12:20 PM

The future of the old food bank building is set to finally be decided at a Medicine Hat city council meeting Monday evening, after an initial vote was pushed back so staff could gather more information.

The proposed sale of that building is one of only a few items up for a vote on an unusually light council agenda.

Council will make a decision on Coun. Allison Van Dyke’s proposal to authorize staff to sell 532 South Railway St. “as is, where is” for land value at a recommended list price of $249,900.

READ MORE: Staff recommend selling former food bank property

City staff were directed at the Dec. 18 meeting to seek further information and return to council for a decision regarding a potential listing of the property.

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That extra information-gathering did not change the initial recommendation, according to a report coming to council Monday.

The city acquired the building for $500,000 from the Medicine Hat and District Food Bank Association in 2020, according to a staff report.

The purchase was part of a transaction approved by council that saw the food bank move into its current location for $1.3 million.

The building has served “numerous purposes” that staff said puts a limit on its marketability. Its mechanical systems were also recently rated as poor despite being in a structurally fair condition.

Periodic showings of the property by city staff based on ad hoc interest and through reaching out to prospective buyers has not resulted in any formal offer.

Given the condition of the building and the cost of the abatement, staff have recommended it’s sold as an “as is, where is” basis and anticipate the buyer would demolish the building.

Also on the agenda is a first reading of Bylaw 4806 to make a land use exception for 19 Stober Bey SE, rezoning it to a mixed-use district to accomodate a future residential development.

Several items for information are on the consent agenda, including data regarding the newly-instituted council contact form.

The full Feb. 5 council agenda can be found at MedicineHat.ca. Meetings get underway at 6:30 p.m. and are streamed at the City of Medicine Hat YouTube channel.