The site of the police college will not be leased this year for farming.
Fort Macleod council learned last week some work on the college site is expected this summer.
“There is the strong likelihood there will be some site work . . . potentially early in the summer,” Mayor Shawn Patience said.
The immediate future of the police college might become clearer Monday, April 18 when council meets with the police college project manager and officials from Alberta Infrastructure.
“I would suggest we’ll have some clarity at that meeting,” Patience said.
Council considered March 14 renewing the lease from March to October on the site in the southeast corner of Fort Macleod.
A decision was tabled until Patience had the chance to discuss with government officials plans for the police college.
Patience reported at the March 28 regular meeting the news there could be site work under way as early as this summer.
That news made the mayor reluctant to lease the land for farming, as has been council’s practice since that site was identified for the police college.
“We don’t want the land lease to encumber any progress on the training centre,” Patience said.
Council leased the land at SW 6-9-25-4 and SE 6-9-25-4 for $9,000 from the beginning of March 2010 to the end of October 2010.
The lease provides for oil seed and small grains crops, dried peas and beans, commercial sod and trees.
Coun. Susan Koots wondered if the province would be prepared to pay compensation to the lease holder for crop damage caused by the site work.
“I would hate to see a half section of land just sit there,” Koots said.
Koots also suggested leasing the land for only a barley crop.
“We certainly could do that,” Patience agreed. “It is possible if we lease it a minimal amount of (site) work could take place.”
Koots also suggested the Town of Fort Macleod could have the land custom seeded for barley.
That idea did not get support.
“I don’t think council is into farming,” Coun. Sharan Randle said.
Council decided not to renew the lease.
“I don’t think we can lease it,” Coun. Gord Wolstenholme said.
Patience agreed.
“I really wouldn’t want to do anything that would further delay this project,” Patience said.
The province announced in August 2006 that it would build the Alberta Police and Peace Officer Training Centre in Fort Macleod.
It was planned 1,400 police and peace officer recruits would be trained each year at the police college, which would employ 75 to 100 people.
The project soon stalled when the province was not able to attract a partner for a public-private partnership.
In February 2011 the government budgeted $117-million over the next three years for the police college project.
