OLDS — Construction should begin this summer on the first buildings in the new Netook Crossing Business Park.
Located southwest of the junction of highways 2 and 27, just east of Olds, the business park falls within Mountain View County’s Netook Crossing area structure plan. That plan covers about 4,000 acres, extending from Olds to 1.6 km east of Hwy 2, and 3.2 km in both directions from Hwy 27. It designates 1,100 acres for residential use, mostly larger country residential lots.
Netook Crossing Business Park is being developed on 143 acres owned by OPUS Building Canada Inc. There is approximately 120 acres of saleable land, which consists of seven light-industrial lots of about five acres each, and 24 highway commercial lots as small 2.5 acres, said Terry Johnston, vice-president of development with OPUS.
About half of the lots in the business park have been sold, said Johnston, with proposed uses including the sale of agricultural equipment, automobiles and recreational vehicles, as well as self-storage, industrial, construction and oilfield servicing businesses.
“We’re about 90 per cent finished most of our site work,” said Johnston. “The balance of it will be completed, hopefully during May and June.”
Doug Plamping, the county’s chief administrative officer, said utilities have been installed and paving partially completed.
“We’re looking for development this year,” said Plamping. “We have a number of applicants in our development process at this time.”
The Town of Olds is slated to supply water and sewer services to Netook Crossing under a municipal tax-sharing arrangement with the county.
Johnston expects this to occur after more development has occurred.
He said interest in the Netook Crossing Business Park has increased with the arrival of spring.
Johnston said previously that the area’s location along Hwy 2 and its proximity to Calgary should make it a desirable spot for industrial and commercial buyers.
Opus has an option to purchase another 150 acres to the west, but Johnston said it’s too early to comment on if, when or how that property might be developed.
“It could be a Phase 2 part of our (Netook Crossing Business Park) project, perhaps, at some future date.”
Plamping said the county is pleased with the progress being made at Netook Crossing.
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com