An out of province developer is apparently hoping to succeed where one company has already failed.
During an interview following Monday's regular meeting of city council, Mayor Gary St. Onge said a developer is "very seriously" looking at the area north of Wellock Road for a new neighborhood.
"As far as I know they are going ahead but we don't know 100 per cent for sure," said St. Onge who declined to give the name of the developer. "There is the possibility of 3,000 people in that section. The way the possible developer has it planned, the number of single-family, multi-family modular homes would (house) around 3,000 people."
The area in question has been somewhat of a hot potato over the past two to three years. Winalta Inc. had plans for a master-plan community but scrapped the idea after reportedly running into financial difficulties and eventually sold the land. Since then there has been no end to rumours and speculation about what may or may not happen in that area.
St. Onge said the difference this time around is that the group looking at the area are developers, not builders, like Winalta.
"This developer wants to go ahead and he has builders that build commercial, because there is part of that that can be commercial, and residential. We met with the people and they seem a lot more prepared and on the ball and I will be surprised if that doesn't go ahead. That would also include the extension of Wellock Road all the way to the hospital."
The possibility of a private development on the 118-acre parcel of land could have significant implications for the City. There are currently no lots for new homes available in Estevan although some are under development in the Dominion Heights area of the city. Those lots are expected to be completed in the spring of 2011.
However, with Estevan expected to continue its rapid growth, those lots are not likely to meet the expected demand, making this potential new development a very exciting scenario for City officials.
"We have to do some lots for sure and if nobody is developing any other lots, then we would need to do quite a few. If (the developer) is developing a bunch, we would just maybe just do a few so that people have a choice. We have never been in the situation where an outside developer is coming in."
St. Onge said no matter what the developer decides to do, the City will soon need to begin work on a new water reservoir in the north part of Estevan to accommodate any potential lots, be they City-owned or private. The cost of that reservoir is expected to be around $10 million.
