New construction in Sylvan Lake last year peaked to a total not seen in the past five years with residential homes leading the way.
Permits were issued for a total of $54.2 million in construction, up just over 37 per cent from the previous year.
Residential construction was $36.8 million in 2012 and accounted for almost 68 per cent of the value of all permits issued. Of that total, $14 million was for multiple housing buildings which included 95 units.
There were 94 single family home starts with construction value of $20.07 million.
The balance of the residential total was for renovations and additions (9), a modular manufactured home, detached garages or sheds (26), two garage suites, 27 decks, 57 basement developments and seven basement secondary suites.
Public facility construction tallied 13.4 per cent of the 2012 total due mainly to the new town hall ($7,236,031), while industrial construction was 9.6 per cent of the total and commercial construction was 8.7 per cent of the total, according to statistics released by the town earlier this month.
In the commercial category, the only new construction was for two buildings as part of the mall at the corner of Hinshaw Drive and permit to separate two bays to accommodate those businesses ($55,000), Quiznos ($2,000) and Dominos ($80,000).
Seven permits, for total construction value of $424,900, represented work undertaken in the downtown area. These included renovations and changes in use for Bravo Gastro Pub ($10,000), Sylvan Lake Dental Centre on 50th Street ($215,000), Skin Deep Formulations at the marina ($2,000), a commercial recreation facility in the Incline building on 50th Street across from Sylvan Drive ($100,000), a temporary sales trailer at the marina ($2,900), Angelozzi’s Deli in Varsity Mall on 46th Street ($80,000) and expansion of Bamboo Hut on 46th Street ($15,000).
Also in the downtown area, a demolition permit was issued for the former Shell Gas station at the corner of 50th Street and Lakeshore Drive, valued at $97,194.
In Lakeway Landing, a permit was issued for Pioneer Pizza ($31,680) which is located in the Winks convenience store.
The total value of construction permitted in the commercial sector last year was $4.707 million.
Industrial construction included three new buildings, two additions, three tenant improvements or renovations Herder Drive which now contains the FasGas convenience store, a liquor store, and a car wash which is under construction. The second building is partially complete. Total value of these two buildings was pegged at $2.004 million.
There were also two permits issued for commercial additions — for McDonalds ($905,000) and Walmart ($76,750).
The other 23 permits in the commercial category were for tenant improvements and changes in use.
In the east end of town these included Associated Ambulance ($50,000) on Erickson Crescent, Clearview Glass ($0), TMS Wireless ($4,000) on Cuendet Industrial Way, Complete Athlete ($2,000) in the same building on Cuendet, and two businesses in the new Beju Professional Building — Rouillard Law Office ($160,320) and Lemalia Photography ($36,000). The building is located just north of Canadian Tire.
Four permits were issued for construction related to new businesses in Hewlett Park Landing with total value of $702,080. They included Lakeview Computers ($20,000), Lake House Furnishing and Decor ($409,280), Aurora Dental ($261,600) and Dragonfire Ink ($11,200). Across the street in Ryders Square five permits were issued for a total of $310,000. They included construction for The Source ($85,000), Pet Planet ($88,000), a renovations and four accessory buildings. All three of the new buildings were on Cuendet Industrial Way and the value of their construction totalled $4,714,750. The additions were for Alta- Wide Builders Supplies Tim-Br Mart ($74,250) on Erickson Crescent and Urban Dirtworks ($135,000) at 30 Schenk Industrial Road.
The accessory buildings were all for town facilities and included three structures at the public works yard and one at the waste transfer site. Two tenant improvements were undertaken — one for the town public works shop valued at $20,000 and the other for DTS Building at 15 Industrial Drive valued at $10,500.
The total value of industrial construction permitted was $5.239 million.
The single institutional permit was for a building at C. P. Blakely School ($15,120). Two permits were issued under the public facility category - one for the new town hall ($7,236,031 and the other for an accessory building at École Steffie Woima Elementary School ($20,160).
The town issued a total of 315 permits in 2012, up slightly from 298 the previous year.