His problem isn't that the Town purchased the land, it's the amount of money it is costing. So far it's about $12 million, he said.

On Tuesday council voted on a report that will see 65.5 acres of Cullen Central Park set aside as public open space. The section will be used only for recreation, conservation and flood/erosion control uses. What will happen to the remaining 20 acres of land has not been determined.

"There are 65.5 acres nothing is going to happen to, ever. It's the other 20 acres everyone is all in a knot about," Coun. Drumm said. "There are those who will say 'Oh no, that's sacred -- that's a sacred cow.' "

But he said he thinks they should consider selling some of the land to "get some money back in the pot or come budget time we will be hearing it in both ears."

The cost of land upkeep is about one per cent on the tax bill, Mayor Pat Perkins said.

Councillor Gerry Emm said he would like to be a little bit more cautious about selling the land and would like to know details about what the land would be used for.

"I would like to know what would go in there, how it would go in and under what terms it will be going," he said.

But he said he agrees something needs to be done with the remaining part of the land. The municipality has to act as quickly as possible, but make sure they act as a municipality when making decisions about the remaining land, he said.

Mayor Perkins said council should keep an open mind about the uses as the process of deciding the future of the park continues.

Public consultation will be important in choosing appropriate uses for the acreage, Councillor Lorne Coe said.

"At the end of the day . . . it will be the residents of this town who will determine how the 20 acres will be used," Coun. Coe said.

A public workshop about the fate of the park took place on May 22 after the publication deadline.