A longtime service station in Red Deer’s downtown is slated for a major makeover.
Husky Oil Ltd. plans to redevelop the Husky Downtown & Auto Centre at 4505 49th Ave. The energy company received site development approval from the city’s municipal planning commission on Monday, as well as authorization to continue selling fuel there.
The commission heard that a service station has operated on the site since 1968, with Husky’s existing outlet having a small convenience store and a car wash that no longer operates. It also has old service bays.
The company plans to demolish these premises and replace them.
“It’ll be a complete tear-down and rebuild,” said David Jacobs of David Jacobs Consulting after the commission meeting.
That will mean new tanks, piping, pumps and paving, added Mark Halvorsen of CTM Design.
Plans include a 2,600-square-foot convenience store with a much-expanded offering of products, said Jacobs, as well as a tunnel car wash. The design includes lots of glass and clear sight lines to promote customer and employee safety, he added.
There will be 3,500 square feet of landscaping, including nine trees and 126 shrubs, and a decorative retaining wall.
“They are committed to Red Deer, they want to fix up that station and they want to be a good neighbour,” said Jacob of Husky’s motivation.
He and Halvorsen said they don’t know the budget or time lines for the work, but Halvorsen anticipates that a building permit will be applied for this spring and the new station pumping gas by early 2011.
The eastern portion of the property was zoned residential, but this was changed in December to match the commercial zoning of the rest of the land.
In their report to the commission, Inspections and Licensing Department staff said the proposed development “will greatly enhance the aesthetics on the site and within the neighbourhood.”