Cramped parking at the Red Deer Co-op Home and Garden Centre has been solved — big time.
Red Deer Co-op Ltd. has addressed the issue by buying the former NexCycle Plastics Inc. (NPI) property at 4746 Riverside Dr. That’s immediately west of the Home and Garden Centre.
Larry Parks, the Co-op’s general manager, said title transferred this week.
NPI, which is based in Brampton, Ont., used the property to convert waste plastic into pellets for use in the manufacture of new products. A storage building there was badly damaged in an April 19 fire, and the business never resumed operations.
Parks said the deal actually involved two lots. One, which is the site of the damaged building, consists of approximately 1.3 acres. The other, which has an older office and production building, covers about one acre.
The Co-op plans to keep the larger of the two properties and demolish the building there. In the near future, it will be used for parking, said Parks.
“It gives us some options for the future,” he added, explaining that the lack of parking at the Home and Garden Centre has restricted the Co-op’s ability to grow those operations.
“For now, it’s really just an expansion of the parking.”
As for the smaller lot, Parks said no decision has been made.
“We’re probably going to sell it.”
The Advocate was unable to obtain comment from an official with NexCycle.
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com