While meeting with the St. Albert Gazette editorial board Thursday, St. Albert Mayor Nolan Crouse said he almost got beat in the recent municipal election because he doesn’t play it safe. Good news, because St. Albert does need to take some bold steps.
During the interview, Crouse commented on the so-called employment lands along the west side of the city. While some in the city continue to be proponents of industrial development there, despite the fact it would cost a small fortune to bring services to the land, property owners are less enthused. They’d rather see more residential development, and Crouse said the bottom line is the deciding factor. Residential land is more valuable.
He said the city is staying the course with the employment lands, though. There is no “plan B,” and Crouse said development on the employment lands is far away in time. If St. Albert is going to realize the benefits of light industrial development in the next decade, it’s going to have to get bold and look at other options. The mayor did muse about the possibility of partnering with Sturgeon County to develop a light industrial park. There is another option – the bustling Campbell Business Park is adjacent to a chunk of land to the east claimed by the City of Edmonton.
The land is ideal for industrial development. Campbell Business Park has existing infrastructure, excellent roads including the recently upgraded Veness Road and easy access to Anthony Henday Drive. And, according to Crouse, Edmonton’s new mayor is a co-operative, sensible man. Can a deal be struck with the big city next door?
It takes time
During the interview, Crouse also commented on the economic development department. The department, along with Build St. Albert, was deemed disposable by one candidate in the recent election.
Asked bluntly if the department should be eliminated, Crouse said no, economic development is key to St. Albert’s future, especially if the tax base is expanded through industrial and possibly more commercial development.
Crouse also mentioned he was a little disappointed in how many new developments have been attracted so far. However, the mayor, ever patient, countered that economic development is a long-term play. Fair enough.
But the department, with upwards of a dozen staff and managers, as with all city departments, must be accountable to residents with benchmarks or measurables of some kind to ensure taxpayers’ money is wisely spent, and that the department’s direction is sound.
