Strathcona County family says Crusaders arena would end century-old farm – Edmonton [Video]

Since 1881, generations of the Jackson family have lived on and operated a farm outside Edmonton, just north of Highway 16 at Range Road 231.

Now, the family says the business and their livelihood are in jeopardy because of a county announcement to build a new arena for the Sherwood Park Crusaders.

In February, the council approved an agreement with the hockey team that would see the Crusaders build a $86-million four-sheet arena next to the Jackson Homesteaders property.

The county is gifting the team the 17-acre site for the building. The county would also pay $990,000 annually for the operation and maintenance of the facility.

Plans are for a 2,500-seat facility and the Jacksons say the traffic alone will drive them out of business.

“There’s no way we could continue doing what we do with this farm here beside the arena,” Laura Jackson told Global News on Tuesday.

The site for the …