Purchase of former Craigs Automotive site positions the site for re-development.
The City of Fredericton will take ownership of the former Craigs Automotive site at 212 Woodstock Road, after agreeing to purchase the property for $1 from the owner. This agreement positions the City to begin remediation efforts on the site and ready the property for potential development opportunities.
“Residents in the surrounding areas have made it clear that they are eager to see this site revitalized”, said Ward 10 Councillor Cassandra LeBlanc. “I’m thrilled to have been a part of a collaborative solution that will both clean up the site, and best position it for future development.”
The City’s acquisition of the sizeable parcel of land at the intersection of Woodstock Road and Brookmount Street is the result of a partnership agreement with the Province of New Brunswick.
The property was the site of a retail gas and service station from the 1940s until its closure in the 1990s. Circumstances led to the property and building sitting vacant after its closure, with property taxes going unpaid for many years. This issue, combined with environmental concerns around the site condition created a situation whereby there was no clear business case for a successful private sector investment.
In a solutions-based approach to address these issues, the City entered negotiations with the property owner to purchase the parcel of land for one dollar, with the intention that the City will remediate the property and return it to productive use. To facilitate that acquisition, the City negotiated a separate agreement with the provincial government regarding outstanding property taxes.
An environmental assessment was completed on the site, which determined that contamination had not migrated off-site, posing no risk to the municipal drinking water supply. Any costs incurred associated with site remediation will be recovered should the property be sold for future use.
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