Fredericton agrees to fill gap in Cross Town Trail by leasing land for $30K a year - Action News
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New Brunswick

Fredericton agrees to fill gap in Cross Town Trail by leasing land for $30K a year

Fredericton city councillors agreed this week to lease property for $30,000 per year in order to fill a gap in the city's disjointed Cross Town Trail.

3 councillors voted against deal between city, Bella Properties

A sign for the Cross Town Trail in Fredericton.
The City of Fredericton has laid out a plan for filling in the gaps of the Cross Town Trail, which has remained incomplete for years while other sections of former rail lines were converted to multi-use trail. (Aidan Cox/CBC)

A disjointed Fredericton trail is set to have another one of its gaps filled, but it willcome at a cost to the cityand won't be guaranteed beyond 20 years.

Councillors agreed on Monday to lease a 420-square-metre piece of property along Westmorland Streetat a cost of $2,500 per month for the next 10 years as the city works tocomplete the Cross Town Trail.

The city will have the option to renew its lease with Bella Properties for another 10 yearsonce itexpires, andthe company will be obligated to offer the land to the city first if it were to sell it.

Maps show where a new section of trail will be built in order to complete Fredericton's Cross Town Trail.
The top image above shows the City of Fredericton's conceptual design for the completed trail, while the planning sketch below shows a red outline of the property to be leased. (City of Fredericton)

Fredericton residents have complained for years about the disjointed nature of the Cross Town Trail, which forces users onto the sidewalk or onto the road if on a bicycle.

Efforts by the city to finish the trailpicked up steam this year, with work to complete a western sectionbetween Smythe Street and the corner of Northumberland and Argyle.

Some councillors opposed deal

The lease agreed to on Monday gives the city the chance to fill one of the last remaining gaps.

But not everyone around the council table agreed with the arrangement.

"Myvote against it came out of just concerns that this option would be not as certain an option for what the city is investing, in terms of the actual trail construction and maintenance," said Ward 1 Coun. Margo Sheppard, one of threecouncillors who voted against it.

"And so I just felt it was, it was not ideal."

Ward 10 Coun. Cassandra LeBlanc, whose ward covers the Cross Town Trail, also voted against the deal, alongside Coun. Jason Lejeune.

Margo Sheppard sits at in her chair at the Fredericton council table.
Margo Sheppard is one of four city councillors who voted against the deal. (Aidan Cox/CBC)

Sheppard said while the lease gives the city purchasing priority over other buyers if Bella Properties does sell it, there's no guarantee that will happen within the lease's lifetime.

That means the city could invest thousands in building a section of trail onthe property, only to have Bella Properties choose not to renew the lease after 20 years.

The lease also stipulates the monthly cost will be increased to match inflation after the fifth year, and Bella Properties will be able to bill the city up to $10,000 annually for snow clearing costs.

Without factoring in inflation, the agreement could see the city paying Bella Properties at least $800,000 over the potential 20-year life of the lease, considering the city doesn't renew for a lower price.

"It's a pretty favourable deal for the landowner," said Sheppard, adding she'd prefer if the city bought the property instead.

Corrections

  • A previous version of this story said that Coun. Henri Mallet was one of four councillors who voted against the resolution. In fact, three councillors voted against the resolution, and Mallet was not one of them.
    Sep 25, 2024 11:56 AM AT