The City of Sherbrooke recently released municipal documents revealing the city’s need to purchase a parcel of land from the Maison du Cinéma to make way for the reconstruction of the Grandes-Fourches bridge next year.
The land, which was previously owned by the city before being sold to the Maison in 2010, is the outermost section of the movie theatre’s parking lot. It measures a total of 2,897 square metres, and if the deal goes through, will set the city back a total of $550,000.
The purchase is just one of many planned for the Grandes-Fourches North revitalization project. Aside from reconstructing the bridge spanning over the Magog river, the project also aims to build a roundabout where the road intersects with Rue Terrill, as well as an extension to the small James S. Mitchell park. The city hopes a revitalization of the city centre’s aging infrastructure will boost foot traffic to the area.
Sherbrooke is still in talks to finalize the deal with the Maison. The documents report that the current plan is to purchase the land “little by little” rather than a full expropriation. The city is also committed to paying the theatre 100 per cent of the lot’s evaluated price rather than the 70 per cent minimum legally required for expropriation.
For full story and others, subscribe now.
Sherbrooke to spend $550,000 to buy back parking lot for new Grande Fourches bridge project
By Matthew Sylvester, Special to The Record
