It’s taken a while, but a retailer, which could be named soon, has applied for a development permit in the old Canadian Tire store. The project is on the city’s Governance and Priorities Committee agenda on April 22. Geoff Lee Meridian Source
A new unnamed retailer will be moving into the old Canadian Tire building at 4215-70th Ave. with a plan to subdivide it into three spaces.
The news broke Friday morning in an interview with Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers in advance of the posted Governance and Priorities Committee (GPC) meeting agenda for April 22.
The full GPC agenda, which is now available, shows the development is located within Direct Control District 3 (DC3) zoning for multi-use commercial purposes.
Aalbers says because the location of the permit application is within the DC3, council has to approve whoever goes in, not just the planning department.
This new zoning District would allow, as permitted uses, commercial businesses typical of “power centre” developments in other cities.
“The last I heard, there’s three businesses going into the old Canadian store,” said Aalbers.
An attached site map shows the 65,109 sq. ft building subdivided into 7,270, 30,000 and 27,380 sq ft. areas.
“It will be a major project because it will be a major renovation. It sends a positive sign to the businesses adjacent in the strip mall. It’s a huge space to see filled that I’m really excited about,” said Aalbers.
The building is owned and leased by Canadian Tire REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust).
Aalbers went on to say he thinks this is going to see a great year for construction as the city continues on several projects from traditional roads, water and sewer projects to the Cenovus Energy Hub.
“Then you move into other commercial residential and other industrial-type developments,” he said.
Aalbers also gets asked numerous times about the proposed Costco warehouse project at 75 Ave. and 12 St. and he said, “I just wait patiently for things to unfold.
“There’s no use getting in a rush from my perspective because it will happen when it happens.”
