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The Katz Group has negotiated city staff support for its contentious parking application north of Rogers Place.

It shrunk the size, committed to a shorter timeline for construction and promised $150,000 for the Central McDougall Community League.

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The money will go to upgrading an unnamed local amenity, which will off-set the negative impacts of a parking lot, say staff. Katz Group officials will also have to landscape and light the parking lot appropriately, include designated accessibility parking and provide a drop-off area for the community rink.

But Scott McKeen, councillor for the area, said he’s still undecided on whether the community benefit is high enough, and warns there may be further opposition on council.

“There will be some skeptics among the councillors who went through the arena wars,” said McKeen. “That was an extremely controversial, emotional process … The surface parking lot wasn’t part of the deal.”