To be more financially self-sufficient, the Moose Jaw Exhibition Company could soon host new commercial development on its property.
The organization — which has a 15-year lease with the municipality for the property — applied to city hall recently to have 250 Thatcher Drive rezoned to CZ contract zone from CS community service/institutional district. This would allow it to sublease part of the property to businesses and have the chance to generate revenue.
The exhibition company plans to turn the Diner Building into a venue that can accommodate a massage therapy business and a company called Inner Strength that sells gym equipment online and lets customers test the gear on site. The building is north of the Golden Nugget Centre.
During the June 28 regular council meeting, city council voted unanimously to have city administration proceed with altering a section of the zoning bylaw by preparing a public notice and bylaw amendment so that the property can be rezoned to CZ from CS.
A section of the zoning bylaw states that contract zones are not permitted on land subject to lease agreements since lease restrictions are meant to prevent frequent rezoning requests due to tenancy changes, a council report explained. However, city administration recommended that this restriction be altered since council has the discretion to make long-term leases.
The contract zone will also allow the city to limit commercial development on the property to ensure that exhibition remains the primary use, the report added.
This will be a great revenue generator for the exhibition company, especially since it’s normally quiet and under the radar in what it does, Mayor Fraser Tolmie said during the meeting. He thought the company had done a great job helping with the vaccine rollout and was a good community partner.
“The Moose Jaw Exhibition Company is a non-profit and does not receive money from the city,” said Coun. Crystal Froese. “They are trying to look for ways to be self-sufficient and how they utilize that area, so they are looking ahead and trying to be good stewards of the money there.”
The next regular council meeting is Monday, July 12.
