January 18, 2012
Town may take action,
mayor warns
by Vance Gutzman
Deep River may be taking matters into its own hands to resolve the
issue of where to build housing for seniors in the municipality.
Mayor David Thompson told council last week he is considering the idea
of expropriating the large parcel of vacant land that sits between the
JL Gray building and Poplar Street for that very purpose.
Thompson served notice that he will bring the issue of expropriation up
for consideration at the town's next development and planning committee
meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, January 25.
"We haven't made a lot of progress (on seniors housing)," Thompson
prefaced his idea last week.
"We just don't have a lot of land."
The mayor went on to state that while the town is still looking at the
Morison School building as an option for seniors housing, as well as
the Keys Conference Centre, the land next to the JL Gray building would
be the ideal spot, because of its central location.
"But in spite of our efforts in working with the owners of that land
we've made no progress," Thompson said.
"It's unfortunate, and I think council will have to be more proactive.
“We need to put a little more pressure on the owners to either develop
it or sell it to someone who would."
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