LEWISTON – Councilors Tuesday tabled a land swap that would have cleared the way for a neighborhood park on Knox Street after another offer came in.

The plan would have given the city control of a lot at 69 Knox St., adjacent to one of Lots to Gardens downtown sites.

The Knox Street lot is owned by Constance Rousseau, wife of Ward 7 City Councilor Normand Rousseau. According to the proposed deal, Rousseau would have traded the Knox Street lot for a parcel at 245 Park St. The city would also have agreed to pay Rousseau $15,000, and she would agree to donate $10,000 of that back to the city to help pay for the park.

The deal changed Monday, when Marc Mason, owner of the Acme Social Club at 255 Park St., offered to pay the city $25,000 for the other Park Street lot. Councilors could use Mason’s money to purchase the Knox Street parcel outright, paying Rousseau $40,000 for the land.

“It sounds like a win-win deal to me,” Councilor Ron Jean said.

Other councilors said Mason’s offer changed the entire deal, and they needed time to make sure that Rousseau’s offer was still on the table.

“This sounds good, but it’s not what we originally negotiated,” said Councilor Lillian O’Brien. “This new deal may be no deal if all sides don’t agree to all of it. It doesn’t make sense to rush into everything.”

The delay was frustrating to members of the Visible Community and the Downtown Neighborhood Taskforce. That group recommended the city build the park as a replacement to a one that was removed from Maple Street in 2004.