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Redcliff's veto power was not an issue for Event Centre location choice: Kelly Saturday, 22 September 2012 00:00 Collin Gallant COLLIN GALLANT cgallant@medicinehatnews.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Twitter: CollinGallant A regional agreement that could have theoretically given Redcliff a possible veto on conditions to build the Event Centre on Medicine Hat's southern limits had no bearing on the decision to restart talks for a new arena in the city's northwest, says the alderman who is guiding the process. The Tri-Area Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP), shared by Medicine Hat, Redcliff and Cypress County, sets down plans of how land of common interest should be developed and all three jurisdictions need to sign off on changes. The 2010 agreement would need to be modified for Medicine Hat to accept an offer of land for an Event Centre in the city's southend. The arena plan included the condition of annexing some land in the county Ñ an action that would certainly require an IDP amendment. "That's hypothetical and theoretical," said Ald. Graham Kelly, adding that since the City felt the initial step of Cypress County approval would be extremely difficult, the later step of changing the IDP didn't enter the equation. "We didn't make the decision based on IDP," said Kelly, chair of the Public Services Committee. "The decision was made on the basis of where city council thought was the best place to put it Ñ the conditions having been satisfied that Box Springs group can deliver on what they're promising at a rate that's favourable to our taxpayers. It's as simple as that. "If the southside proposal had been more attractive to members of council, we would have found a way to get that done." On Monday, council voted 6-2 in favour of a staff recommendation to restart talks with the Box Springs Business Park group which owns land butting up against the Town of Redcliff. That ended a six-week evaluation process of new proposals, including one that Lansdowne Equity Ventures would donate land near the intersection of 13th Avenue and South Boundary Road. In exchange the city would work to annex several parcels of Lansdowne property directly south in Cypress County. Lansdowne president Don Sandford told the News on Tuesday that he was confused why his location hadn't garnered more support in the process and that he felt annexation to be a minor issue if the city wanted it to happen. An evaluation of the bids shows that Lansdowne would provide the lowest cost for the City in terms of servicing Ñ $2.8 million compared to $3.6 million at Box Springs. But, said Kelly, if the annexation didn't happen, compensation clauses could push the total costs to more than $5 million. Kelly has been unequivocal that a decision has now been made, that all proposals were given a fair chance. "The fact remains, and I made absolutely certain, that (Lansdowne) had an opportunity to present all the information they wanted to present," said Kelly. "It's a bit disingenuous to come back a few days later and say 'we didn't know this or we didn't know that.' I told them up front that annexation would be very difficult for us." Senior elected county officials told the News this week an annexation process might not be difficult considering the county's wish for more water service to further develop Dunmore and a new development zone on Township Road 120. Kelly said that discussions between City and Cypress "senior officials" showed a lack of interest on the county's part. This week, city council approved a motion for city staff to reopen negotiations with the Box Springs group and to draw up a final agreement within two months. Ald. John Hamill, who chairs the Development and Infrastructure Committee, supported reopening talks with BSBP and said Thursday that the IDP is a perfect example of how delays could mount if a different location was chosen. "That's where we get into the tangle," said Hamill. "The county could say that it's quite easy but Redcliff could say it's not so easy, we don't want it." "Personally I think (Box Springs) the best of the choices that we had. It will bring economic development and lots of things. And it will benefit Redcliff, but for 90 per cent of the people who live in Redcliff, Medicine Hat is their shopping centre." As far as the IDP is concerned, said Hamill, the city has to take the region into consideration when planning future growth. "We can't exclude Redcliff. If we did, it would be a mess."