It looks as if the 100-year-old armoury that formerly housed the Battlefords Trade and Education Centre could see new life as a craft brewery.
At council Monday night, Planning and Development Director Jennifer Niesink outlined plans put forward by some local investors to turn the aging building into a craft brewery and restaurant, with up-scale food services available.
The armory building is located at 702-102nd Street which is zoned R2- Low Density Residential. An application was received at City Hall to amend the zoning bylaw so the property is zoned “C2 - Neighbourhood Commercial.”
A discretionary use application to council would then be needed to allow a craft brewery to set up there. Administration also recommended adding the term “tavern” as a discretionary use in that zone.
To accommodate the rezoning, council passed a resolution Monday authorizing administration to prepare the necessary bylaw amendments.
Those will return to council for passage. There is also a public notice period for the application.
At the moment, the names of the individuals putting forward the proposal has not been made public by City Hall, however it is known it consists of investors with ties to the Battlefords.
City administration sees the proposal as a positive for the location. According to Niesink’s memo to council, the use could complement the overall residential neighbourhood in Riverview and would provide tax revenue and a boost to the local economy, as the craft brewery industry is increasingly popular.
The new owners are also looking to restore the existing building and highlight its heritage, according to her report.
A particular positive is that the existing building will not sit empty. All prior inquiries of the property had proposed industrial uses.
Niesink pointed out at council Monday that the building itself has some unique features as it has no direct neighbours and is surrounded by roadways, so it was “a good candidate” for making this sort of zoning change.
Battlefords Trade and Education Centre was housed in the building until last October, when BTEC moved to their new location on Railway Ave. and 105th Street. The building was then put up for sale.
There had been considerable speculation the aging building might be a prime candidate for demolition. However, the plan for a craft brewery would save the building from the wrecking ball, something that pleased councillors on Monday night.
Councillor Len Taylor was particularly enthusiastic about the opportunity to save a historic building in the Battlefords. “We’ve lost a lot of our architectural history over the years,” said Taylor.
He was also excited by the proposal.
“I have seen these small micro-brewery operations in other centres, including downtown Halifax, where they have converted heritage buildings into a meeting place, where they just happen to brew some excellent beverages,” said Taylor.
Mayor Ryan Bater was also excited about the opportunity, noting, “The idea of preserving a historic building in our city as well as introducing a modernized product is quite exciting.”
The next step in the process now is for a first reading of the bylaw at the next council meeting, followed by a public notice period and a public hearing after that. Once those steps are complete, second and third reading can proceed.
