In the wake of Elliot Lake City Council's decision to turn down a deal to buy municipally-owned Stone Ridge Golf Course, now there's a call at the Economic Development Committee to order appraisals on both Stone Ridge and the city-owned Mount Dufour Ski Hill.
Committee members will look at two reports on those from Economic Development Manager Steve Antunes, on Tuesday afternoon.
In his first, Antunes asks the committee to recommend council declare the golf course surplus land and that no standing offer to buy it be considered pending an appraisal.
Earlier this month, council rejected an unsolicited cash offer for Stone Ridge from a private numbered corporation.
Council turned the $1.5 M deal down following submission of a number of public questions to council at its last meeting on Feb. 10.
It was also disclosed there were other purchases offers on the table.
Stone Ridge is owned by the municipality and operated through a joint management agreement with Elliot Lake Retirement Living. Operating and capital costs are split evenly.
"The city has seen a boom in interest in properties ranging from commercial and residential lands to other tourism assets," Antunes said in his written report.
He wants a clear statement from council on Stone Ridge's future.
"By declaring this property surplus, it transparently signals to members of the community that the city, acting in the best interests of its taxpayers, is assessing the cost-benefit of operating this facility versus selling it to a private operator," he said.
He noted the chance of Stone Ridge land being used for other purposes is not likely.
Antunes pointed out council would need to approve both a zoning amendment and a change in the official plan before any residential development could take place.
There is also a lack of necessary services for residential development in that area.
In a second report to Tuesday's committee meeting, Antunes asks for an appraisal of city-owned Mount Dufour Ski Hill.
The ski hill is operated by a non-profit volunteer group that owns some of the structures and equipment on site.
The city covers Mount Dufour's operational costs and also its insurance under Elliot Lake's municipal policy.
Major ski hill costs born by Elliot Lake taxpayers in recent years include $34,200 from operating and $9,200 from the Ski Hill Reserve in 2020 to repair the beginner lift.
Also in 2019, $109,706 was spent for the chairlift audit and repairs, and another $396,187 to buy a new ski groomer.
There is also an annual expenditure of $25,000 to cover a chairlift audit of $125,000 that takes place every five years.
That's a total of nearly $650,000.
Tuesday afternoon's virtual committee meeting is expected to be live-streamed on the city's website at 3:30 p.m.