Municipal economic development personnel have until the end of September to get out of their Grand Avenue West building after it sold recently.
Stuart McFadden, acting director of economic development, said Skyline purchased the property.
“They own the property around it,” he said. “It’s a good place for a business, with lots of parking.”
The economic development department will move into the Civic Centre downtown, which McFadden sees as a smart fit.
“We’ll be in the first floor at the Civic Centre. I think it makes a lot of sense. Fifty thousand people a year go to the Civic Centre. What better way to showcase the services available through our Small Business Centre than being there,” he said.
“There is lots of foot traffic.”
McFadden said the municipality opted to put the economic development building up for sale for several reasons, the first being interest in the property and the second cost efficiency.
“We had been approached about the property’s availability a couple of times,” he said. “But it’s also very well known that the municipality has 190-some-odd buildings. We talk about the costs of maintaining them every year at budget. That we were able to sell the building and reduce our overhead is a win-win. New taxes, new jobs and reduced municipal inventory.”
McFadden said the municipality received multiple offers on the 3,500 square-foot building.
