Three months after the first call for someone to take control of the Sandown Agricultural Lands, North Saanich council has re-issued the request for expressions of interest.
The district is looking for a long-term operator to turn the 83 acres that was once Sandown racetrack into fertile, productive farmland.
Mayor Geoff Orr said the district has one viable option at this point for the land, which is in the Agricultural Land Reserve.
“I would say unsatisfied [with results so far] is a little strong — it really is that we are trying to find the right path forward,” Orr said. “Part of the challenge we have is in establishing criteria we can use to assess even the one proposal, if that’s all we get.”
The district has said it wants detailed plans for financing, designing, developing and operating a variety of agricultural uses in an economically viable way.
Orr said they have had indications from other parties that there is interest in putting together other projects for the land.
“We are expecting to get something else forward and some other choices to consider,” he said.
Interested parties now have until Aug. 30 at 3 p.m. to submit an expression of interest. The original request closed on May 3.
A racetrack was built at Sandown in the 1950s, but after many years, interest waned. The last live horse race at the track was in 2008.
North Saanich acquired the land in late 2017, and after extensive consultation, came up with several goals for the property, including providing sustainable food, respecting the site’s natural ecosystems and helping to build stronger and healthier communities.
A 12-acre strip of the former track has been carved off for development. A Canadian Tire store has opened as part of the first phase of that project.
Half the commercial taxes generated from the development — about $70,000 — will be used to fund agriculture.
Orr said some of that money could be used to help the new operator of the Sandown lands rebuild the soil for food production.
