MONCTON, NB– Moncton City Council has voted to go ahead with purchasing Highfield Square.
The estimated cost of the purchasing, demolition and environmental clean-up is between $10 and $12-million.
The vote came after an hour long discussion regarding whether or not to demolish the idle shopping mall that sits on the land right away.
Councillor Brian Hicks made an amendment to the motion that included delaying the demolition of the Highfield Square Shopping Mall until council confirms a downtown events centre will be placed there.
“If we’re going to build a downtown centre there, fine, we’ll tear it down and clean up the land. But if we don’t, those buildings might be worth millions to another developer, we don’t know that,” Hicks said.
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But the idea of insurance, vandalism, and the cost associated with delaying the demolition was discussed and after the question was called, all but two councillors voted against the amendment.
“When we get to the design part of that building maybe we could preserve a part of it and it would be a great tribute to Highfield Square and the role that it played in our community,” said Councillor Paulette Thériault. “But I can’t support the amendment.”
The City’s Manager, Jacques Dubé, said a delay could harm the construction of an events centre – construction they have tentatively planned for 2015.
“We were intending to go to tender on that and have the demolition occur this year, certainly before the snow flies,” Dubé said.
After Hicks’ amendment was denied, the motion to buy Highfield Square was quick – with only two against the acquisition, including Hicks and Counciller Daniel Bourgeois.
Highfield Square was built in the early 1960’s and closed last fall. Mayor George LeBlanc has said the purchasing of the former downtown mall is the first step in realizing his “dream” of an events centre in Moncton’s downtown core.
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