South-West Oxford council has inked a land-swap agreement with a local developer to create a new park in the southwest corner of Mount Elgin.
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The agreement between the municipality and Mount Elgin Developments Inc. involves the transfer of 2.9 acres of existing parkland at the Mount Elgin Community Center for an equal amount of land along the southwest side of Mount Elgin Road.
This purpose of this exchange is to develop a new, larger park in the village’s southwest as part of the first phase of the new Mount Elgin Heights housing development, municipal officials said in a release.
“Council saw an opportunity to work with a private partner to enhance park space for our residents to enjoy while, at the same time, continuing to support long-term housing development in Mount Elgin,” South-West Oxford Mayor David Mayberry said in the release.
As part of the deal, the township is also buying an additional lot in this first phase and roughly three-quarters of an acre of land for additional parking, which will bring the total size of the new park to approximately 3.6 acres. The cost of this land purchase is $179,000.
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The former community center parkland being swapped in the deal is proposed to be developed for more residential housing, with a focus on seniors. In the interim, South-West Oxford officials have agreed to lease back the exchanged land at the community center for the next five years to allow the continued use of the ball diamonds and tennis court there while planning the new park’s development.
“This supports our strategy for a healthy and active community, and our broader vision for building a welcoming rural community for life,” Mayberry said.
The public’s thoughts on amenities for the future park will be sought at some point. Updates will be available on the township’s social media sites or tis website at www.swox.org/news.
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