City of Elliot Lake buys site of former Algo Centre Mall.

Nearly seven years after the tragic collapse of the roof of the former Algo Centre Mall, Elliot Lake city council has approved the city's purchase of the land it sat on.

Part of the 13-acre property will later be sold back to the developer the city purchased it from once the land is rezoned.

During an emotional 35-minute special meeting on April 16, Elliot Lake council members approved the purchase of the 13- ; acre site from a numbered company that bought the land earlier in the month.

The property, located behind Elliot Lake City Hall, sold for approximately $900,000 passed on a narrow 4-3 vote. The land will be rezoned, with the City of Elliot Lake retaining seven acres once it buys the entire site from the numbered company.

After that is accomplished, Elliot Lake will resell five acres of the rezoned land back to the same numbered company for $150,000.

The resale is conditional on a covenant that would bind the proponent to build a residential and commercial project on the land over a set period of time.

The elephant in the room during the meeting was the city's purpose in buying the land.

Mayor Dan Marchisella said the former Algo Centre Mall is the closest to being "shovel-ready," after consideration of...