Valiant saga nearing resolution
By John Barlow
Staff Reporter and Sports Editor
There seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel in what has been a nightmare
for lot owners in the Valiant RV Park on Highway 2 along the banks of the Sheep River.
Unless the developer of the Valiant Country Place project can come up with approximately
$3 million by today (Wednesday) the bank will foreclose on the outstanding mortgages
and a new buyer waits in the wings.
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'This has been a rollercoaster ride for three years,' said High River resident Claire Belsher who owns one of the RV lots. 'The day of reckoning is here.'
The (proposed) new owners have said they will develop the RV park and honor the lot owners' equity.
Plans for a multi-million dollar country and western entertainment complex were unveiled in 1997 as developer Arny Bartel and his financial backers proposed a theme park that included a 300-lot RV park, mini-mall, equestrian centre and stables, country inn and a 12,000 seat arena.
Financial problems plagued the project almost from the beginning as the development fell millions of dollars in the red in outstanding mortgages as well as unpaid debts for supplies and material. In addition, the development came under constant scrutiny by the provincial and municipal government regarding access problems, building permits and taking water from the Sheep River.
The financial difficulties of the Valiant Country Place project became apparent to the RV lot owners who were quite concerned that they were on the brink of losing their investment.
When the sale of RV lots tapered off dramatically in 1998 and the construction on the land ground to a halt, Belsher said that is when he realized all was not well with the project.
'When the lot sales dried up and we did not have any of the amenities we were promised, we realized there was a problem,' said Belsher.
Without the sale of the RV lots, Valiant lost its revenue stream. That, coupled with a lack of progress with Alberta Environment and Alberta Infrastructure, Bartel found himself with more than $3 million in liens on the property and the project on the edge of the abyss.
What looked to be a theme park that promised rodeos, concerts and festivals that would rival Mesquite, Texas turned into a white elephant.
With Valiant Country Place staggering financially, the 175 RV lot owners who had invested a total of $2.5 million through the purchase of their lots, scrambled to save their investment.
The lot owners formed a committee and hired legal counsel to investigate their options.
There have been 15 court hearings regarding Valiant since March, a process which Belsher admitted has been very stressful.
While the country and western theme park teeters, Paradise Ranch Resort may ride in to perhaps rescue the project. Dennis Gibb, director for Paradise Ranch, confirmed his company is seriously considering purchasing the land and completing the project on a smaller scale.
'We want to clean up the mess,' said Gibb of the Valiant Country Place project. 'We will finish the mini-mall, build an arena where the structure stands and finish the RV park.'
According to Gibb, Paradise Ranch envisions an equestrian centre for English and western riders with a full sized arena, but not a 12,000-seat version of the Saddledome. In addition to completing the unfinished mini-mall and RV park, the large house on the property will be converted to a country inn.
'I see us catering more to groups wanting to spend a few days or weeks riding their horses and using the equestrian centre.'
Gibb said plans for the new project are not complete and Paradise Ranch is still negotiating with the MD of Foothills.
However, the possibility that the project will be completed is paradise for the RV lot owners.
'If they pursue their proposal we will be happy,' commented Belsher. 'This has been a long process and it has been very stressful. We just hope it is over soon.'
Dare to enter!
Foothills residents sure know how to get
into the spooky season of Halloween as many decorated their homes and businesses
with the frightful displays of All Hallow's Eve. The Chorney home in Cimarron is
one eerie example as Steve and Sarah went all out to create a horrifying yard which
surely made young trick-or-treaters' hair stand on end.
photo by Cindy Ballance
Weigh station debate continues as third option reviewed
By John Barlow
Staff Reporter and Sports Editor
Another chapter has been added to the ongoing saga of the plans to construct a
mobile inspection and weigh station along Highway 2 between High River and Calgary.
Last Thursday, UMA Engineering held another open house at Highwood Auction Mart unveiling
a third location option and to announce that plans for a meridan station have been
scrapped.
During the long consultation process UMA Engineering had identified two possible
locations for the weigh scale, one being directly across from the Alderheights community
and another near DeWinton.
Mike Bishop, senior project manager for UMA Engineering, said the third option was
developed due to staunch opposition. The third option is proposed for the Highway
2 and Highway 7 intersection behind the Aldersyde Petro-Canada fuel station.
'We had a large amount of local opposition to site A and site B,' said Bishop. 'We
had considered this third option earlier, but had put it on the backburner.'
With residents turning up the heat, UMA Engineering was forced to unveil the third
possibility.
Through the open house, the new option received the least amount of opposition, however,
it comes with new problems.
The Highway 7/Highway 2 intersection is arguably one of the most treacherous areas
on Alberta's highways.
The addition of a new weigh station would significantly increase truck traffic.
'If option C is introduced it would increase the number of trucks and that intersection
may have to be reviewed,' said Bishop.
With option C there are actually three different plans for the weigh scale. An interchange
is proposed to be constructed at the intersection, but not within the next five years.
As a result, UMA's option C includes two plans for the weigh scale: without the interchange
and one to be built in conjunction with the interchange.
Bishop said if option C is selected by the residents and approved by Alberta Infrastructure,
it may move the Highway 2/Highway 7 interchange up on the priority list.
Exactly which option will be chosen is expected to be announced early in 2001.
UMA Engineering will take the input from Thursday's open house and present it to
senior management at Alberta Infrastructure who is expected to make a decision within
the next few months.
Option B near DeWinton is likely the most economical, while Option C impacts the
fewest landowners, but the large Silver Tip subdivision is currently being developed
across Highway 2.
The new weigh station is intended to replace the existing DeWinton facility that
will be removed for the Deerfoot Trail extension.
No longer will the station be a meridan facility, instead it will be for southbound
traffic only.
