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Throwback: Delta celebrates new hotel opening

The old hotel building was torn down a few years ago
scottsdale-inn-opening-1973
In March 1973, Acting Mayor Ald. Ernie Burnett (left) joined Sandy Reid of Reid Properties Ltd. to mark the topping off ceremony for the new Scottsdale Inn in North Delta.

Let’s take a step back in time to 1973.

That year, city officials eagerly awaited the completion of Delta’s newest hotel located in North Delta, which in later years did not have the best of reputations before being torn down.

In March of 1973, a “topping off” ceremony took place for what was then called the Scottsdale Inn, adjacent to the Scottsdale Mall.

The $2 million hotel was to open in May of that year, featuring 50 “premium rooms” and an indoor swimming pool with a sauna for guests.

Later called the North Delta Inn, the new hotel was to also feature a specialty dining room and lounge as well as a 3,000-square-foot banquet room.

Fast forward to 2023 and a develop application for high-density housing will be coming for the now vacant site at the corner of Scott Road and 70th Avenue, off Nicholson Road.

Council earlier this year agreed with a staff recommendation to once again extend a temporary use permit for a liquor store at the North Delta Inn site.

The move allows the owner to operate the store, fronting Scott Road south of 70th Avenue, until June 28, 2025, as well as additional time to submit a formal high-density residential development application for the property.

The owner had previously been granted a temporary use permit in 2016, a second temporary use permit in 2019 and a subsequent renewal in 2020.

A new temporary use permit is required in order for the liquor store to continue while the owner continues to work on a redevelopment plan.

Community planning director Marcy Sangret told council the owner has been working with city staff on potential residential concepts and an application is expected by the end of this year.

In 2019, a proposed development concept for the property was discussed by council. That plan was a mixed-use development that included a total of 432 residential units and some commercial and public amenity space.

While a development plan is still in the works, they have since reduced the proposed heights to comply with a six-storey height limit, which came from recommendations of the Mayor's Housing Task Force for Scott Road.

Be sure to check out more throwback at my Facebook group - Delta Optimist throwbacks & news stories posted by reporter Sandor Gyarmati