It won't balance the books but the province has sold High River three large properties.

The Town's bought the Beachwood area, Rio Vista and Wallaceville for a dollar each.

Mayor Craig Snodgrass says they've been designated as Environmental Reserve lands.

"The Environmental Reserve bylaw places all of the floodway lands that we've acquired from the Province of Alberta, it places all of those lands under the Environmental Reserve designation so that no development can occur in those areas."

That was not only a desire expressed by the town and the current and two previous councils, but a stipulation that the province insisted on before going ahead with the agreement.

The designation means there can be no development on the lands which are deemed as flood ways to protect the town in the case of a high water event.

Mayor Snodgrass says it's the right thing to do.