Chris Clegg
South Peace News
An approximate 10-acre site in downtown High Prairie where the old High Prairie Health Complex stood for many years has been sold for $1.75 million.
Rumours broke the sale was completed Jan. 16. South Peace News contacted Alberta Health Services, Lesser Slave Lake MLA Scott Sinclair and Royal Lepage’s Grande Prairie office (they were hired to make the deal) for confirmation. Royal LePage broker Angie Peters confirmed the sale Jan. 18.
“Yes, this is now public information and the price you mentioned is correct,” emailed Peters.
The buyer was not disclosed.
AHS and Sinclair have yet to respond.
The land was listed for $500,000 and High Prairie town council was offered the land for $148,000 and refused to buy late last summer after given four months to consider the offer. The $148,000 offer turns out to be $1,602,000 below what the land actually sold for.
And after refusing to buy the prime land in the centre of High Prairie along Highway 2 at a far reduced price below market value, council decided to submit another bid at its meeting Sept. 12. The figure council is bidding was not disclosed.
AHS made the $148,000 offer to town council in April 2023, says Diana Rinne, senior communications advisor, AHS, North Zone. At the time, neither town council or AHS released publicly they were potentially trying to reach a deal on the land.
News the land was up for sale broke Sept. 8, 2023 when a Grande Prairie realty firm (Royal LePage) listed the property at $500,000. South Peace News made inquiries to AHS about the land, seeing there was a clear desire the land be returned to the community before the listing.
Meanwhile, town council never made it public they refused the offer, choosing to keep the matter a secret, even after negotiations ended.
However, AHS was ready to talk.
“AHS offered to sell the old High Prairie Heath Complex property to the Town of High Prairie; however, no agreement was reached,” emailed Rinne Sept. 12.
“AHS has listed the property on the market in hopes of selling it at market value. Funds from AHS property sales are used to support health care needs,” she added.
“Market value” estimated at $500,00 more than tripled when the land sold to the buyer.
After further inquiries by South Peace News, Rinne again elaborated.
“AHS offered the property to the Town of High Prairie in April 2023 for approximately $150,000. The Town of High Prairie was notified on Aug. 11, 2023 the property would be listed for sale in the near future. The property was listed for sale Sept. 8, 2023,” emailed Rinne.
In effect, the $148,00 offer was off the table.
A request on which members of High Prairie town council who may have voted for and against buying the land at $148,000 is being refused by council. Mayor Brian Panasiuk replied in an email Sept. 15, 2023 that the “Town must adhere to the “legal protocol. . .under the Municipal Government Act and the Town’s policies and bylaws.”
However, the refusal to let the public know how they voted follows the policies set out by the same council refusing to release the vote.
Panasiuk added the following.
“Unless a recorded vote is requested by a member of council in the public session of council, the voting record is not maintained.”
No such motion was made for a recorded vote on the matter.
Panasiuk answers the decision to refuse the AHS offer despite the land being offered at far less than market value.
“With any major financial consideration, council reviews several factors such as: affordability, operating and capital requirements, life cycle costs related to the infrastructure expenditure, community need, potential funding partners, municipal vs. provincial/federal responsibility and accountability, timing, etc. Decisions cannot be made in isolation of all the social, financial and service challenges the Town has. All these factors and challenges were considered and discussed in relation to the hospital land.”
Panasiuk has yet to address the potential of the Town had buying the land and reselling for a profit at press time. It turns out the profit was over $1.6 million which would greatly lessen the burden on taxpayers facing increasing costs.
Residents of the town have indicated for years they wished the land be returned to the town for future needs.