The Foothills Lodge steering committee tasked with recommending a future use for the former and now vacant seniors' living facility is one step closer to submitting to the provincial government a report outlining its preferred option.
Coun. Myron Thompson, who sits on the committee, told his council colleagues during the April 10 meeting that the committee had met earlier that afternoon and made some progress towards identifying a potential proposal.
After publicly advertising a request for possible future uses of the facility, the committee has found itself considering two main proposals ó one to make the building a multipurpose university or college satellite campus for students pursuing different disciplines, as well as another to reopen the lodge as a privately owned and operated independent adult living community, he said.
The Sundre and District Chamber of Commerce suggested the multipurpose campus, but as of the time of council's meeting, the organization has not yet had the chance to engage universities and colleges to determine the interest in pursuing such a path, he said.
"That is probably the most popular idea with the committee," said Thompson.
"It's a great idea," said Coun. Chris Vardas of the proposal to open a multipurpose satellite campus.
However, the final decision ultimately will come down to the provincial government once the committee has submitted its recommendation to Lori Sigurdson, the minister of Alberta Seniors and Housing, said Thompson.
"We think we're going to be ready to make our recommendation to the minister by the end of June," he said.
"Then it's in their ballpark," said the councillor, adding the process to date has been "so far so good."
Council carried a motion to accept Thompson's report as information.
The process so far has generated some good discussion among a good group of people who are "very interested in doing their best for their community. Everyone's working well together," said Sam Smalldon, who also sits on the steering committee, during a phone interview with the Round Up last week.
The committee will meet again in May and once more in June before preparing and submitting its final recommendation with the hopes of receiving a response from the minister by the early fall, he said.
