City council paving way for new apartments in Swift Current

The northeast part of Swift Current might be expanding this year as plans for a new apartment building are coming to fruition. 

Cypress Professional Centre Ltd. submitted a proposal to the City of Swift Current for the development of its vacant lots on the 2100 block of Saskatchewan Drive, which was discussed at Monday night’s city council meeting. 

In a bid to address the growing demand for housing in the city, the developer aims to construct a three-story, 24-unit apartment building with a front-yard parking area on Lot 2.  

While this would be allowed for commercial development, the City only permits on-site parking in the side or rear yards for apartment buildings. 

Planning Development Officer Kathy Dand said that in this situation due to location, the proposed parking is justified by the absence of concerns related to traffic or aesthetics commonly associated with R3 Districts. 

“When we can see that there's an advantage to both the developer and to the public in general, we'll try and find a common ground,” she said. “The most important thing is that we're seeing this growth and we're seeing residential dwellings. As we said in the report, parking in the front would have happened anyways if it had been a fully commercial development.” 

As part of this agreement, Cypress Professional Centre Ltd. has committed to providing the City with an area designated for a future bus stop.

City council approved the relaxation of a front-yard parking lot for the future apartment building.