Northern Ontario developments!

[softee]

I thought i'd start this thread to show that there is indeed development going on in some of the cities and towns of Northern Ontario, so anyone who lives up in this neck of the woods please feel free to contribute pics and articles here!

Here are some pics and articles highlighting some of the development going in my city of North Bay.

Today i went and took these pics of the construction site of the new Watersun condominium on Lakeshore Drive, too bad it's not taller, but it's coming along nicely!
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/watersunsept6-06j.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/watersunsept6-06d.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/watersunsept6-06f.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/watersunsept6-06i.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/watersunsept6-06e.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/watersunsept6-06g.jpg

This pic is looking down the beach towards another condo building called 'The Beaches'.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/thebeachesfromthebeachsept6-06.jpg

I was on the city bus a few days ago and (somewhat unsuccessfully) snapped this pic of the tower crane at the site of the new city filtration plant on Trout Lake.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/TowercraneinBirchaven09-01-2006.jpg

Construction is also getting underway on the new city transit terminal on Oak Street in downtown North Bay, here's a recent article about the project:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/transitterminalarticle.jpg

Finally, here's a small rendering of the 6 storey phase of the Marina Point development that is currently under construction two blocks to the west of the transit terminal. The 3 and 4 storey phases are well underway, so hopefully this next phase will start construction soon. Tomorrow i'll take some photos of the site, when it's completed it going to be a huge development and will bring quite a boost to the downtown core!
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/mp_Cassells.jpg

More to follow! So, what else is happening up here in the so-called North?

[vid]

There was an article in the Chronicle-Journal about the new waterfront project, I can't find it online though.

Anyway, they're rethinking their plan. Again.

They're going to make the former pool six site a market place / hotel, with the main enterance of the hotel near the new park street enterance of the area. The hotel will be in the 4-10 storey range. They market place will be 1-2 storey mixed locally owned and major chain businesses, but they're looking for a pedestrian feel. It'll probably have stuff like Tim Hortons or McDonalds or whatever; anyway, in the middle of that is supposed to be a park/plaza, lots of trees and probably fountains. On one side is the cruise ship dock and on the other is an expansion to the civilian marina. Along the road going from Marina Park to the pool six site, mostly parking and greenspace, alot of walking paths on the entire site. They're going to move the train tracks closer to Water street (the tracks along wilson street headland were ripped up years ago, they're going to move tracks back to there and use the part where tracks are in the plan, apparently) and have alot of greenspace there.

The condos that were supposed to go with it have moved to where the bus terminal is now, and that will either be moved to Intercity (it will be combined with the one in Fort William, with will likely be replaced by the proposed new consolidated courthouse) or moved to another part of the downtown core (probably on the other side of the provincial building, between Marina Park Tower and Marina Park Place) and the condos will be 'Vancouver style' with shoppes and crap on the main floor podium and one or two ten storey towers (that will not exceed the hieght of the hydro building for historical purposes) will be built there depending on demand. The main business/hotel component will likely be finished by 2011, the residential part may not even be built. We do tend to have hotel room shortages because they're used as temp housing for displaced natives when they have to be evactuated from their reserves for reasons that shouldn't exist in this hemisphere.

In non-waterfront news, the Shelter House is almost finished (it's located across from the Royal Eddie, about a block or two from the old one which is a sneeze away from collapsing on itself), and a new ten unit hospice is being built, it will be the first of its kind in Canada outside of Toronto where each patient gets an entire suite, allowing them to pass away in peace with their family, as opposed to the current hospice which has very small rooms in the main hospital and is quite impersonal.

The University recently installed a pedestrian underpass to allow students to cross LUDrive easier, and it will be renovated to connect to the new proposed Lakehead Convention Centre should that be built, all they need is funding (they have an okay to build it, from what I understand)

Condo/Retirement home construction has wound down this year, but Pine View II should begin construction next spring, and sales of pphase III are begining. The city wouldn't let the developer build a highrise with parkspace around it that would be shared with the neigbouring retirement home (at the corners of Red River, Pine and Dorothy) because it would 'cast a shadow' so he built the thing sideways in 2 4 storey and one yet-undetermined-height condos.

The court house isn't really a stale proposal, there's just a dead lock because while downtown has alot of vacancies, none of them are big enough to support even a slender highrise, other than the parking lot by Paterson Park which is dearly needed (our downtowns have insufficient parking for the demand, amazingly enough. You have to pay almost 24 hours a day, and youre lucky if you can park within 3 blocks of where youre going) but I figure they could add another level or two to the Victoriaville parkade (or rebuild it to something nicer, if thats impossible) and put it there, making a triangle shape of Parterson tower, Royal Eddie and the courthouse (all 30-45m high)

That's all I can think of.. none of these are really recent stories just going from memory, but that's most of the developments we've got. In the past few years we've opened the 6 storey ATAC centre, the most technologically advanced building in NWO, the medical school, the new hospital and neighbouring profession building, and no less than 450 tim Hortonses. :)

[softee]

So today i went and snapped some pics of the Marina Point development and the new transit terminal site, sorry about the picture quality -- my camera sucks.

Here's a shot of the 3 storey phase of the development looking from the area of the our current (open air) transit terminal. You can see how big this building really is.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/sept7-06marinapointb.jpg

Here are a few shots of the 4 storey section -- the big pit in the last pic is where the 6 storey phase is going to go -- i can't wait!
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/sept7-06marinapointe.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/sept7-06marinapointf.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/sept7-06marinapointg.jpg

Here are some shots of the new transit terminal site, when it's completed nobody will ever have to freeze their asses off in the winter or die of heat-stroke in the summer while waiting for their bus again!

This is the existing building that will be renovated and expanded in order to house the new waiting facilities and offices.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/sept7-06transitterminalsitea.jpg

Here's the back of the building, say goodbye to the grit!
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/sept7-06transitterminalsitec.jpg

The next few shots just show some of the work being done on the site, an old cinderblock warehouse building is being demolished to make way for the bus platforms.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/sept7-06transitterminalsitee.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/sept7-06transitterminalsiteb.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/sept7-06transitterminalsitef.jpg

This project and the nearby Marina Point will go a long way to furthering the improvements to Oak Street, which has long been regarded as being a run down and seedy downtown street. Here's a pic of the new face of Oak Street that was in the paper recently.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/oakstreetarticlephoto.jpg

[arnold]

that looks like some good density being added (although i have to admit that i know basically nothing about the area). who will be buying these new units? are they selling to people from the area or to people from further south as second/vacation homes?

nice reuse of an existing building for the bus station.

and IMO, its good to see some development in the northern cities being represented on the forums. cheers.

[vid]

Most of the buyers in those units will likely be retirees and local elderly. Up here, almost everyone who lives in Condos is over the age of 50.

[softee]

Yeah, it's mostly a mix of retired people from points further North who want to be closer to their children who moved down South, local empty nesters, and retirees from the GTA who want a change of lifestyle who are buying these units.

[softee]

Here's another recent project that was completed last spring in downtown North Bay, it's called the 'Empire Terrace Suites' and it nicely filled in a big hole in the streetscape along Mcintyre St.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/EmpireMcintyreStW09-09-05.jpg

[vid]

What Thunder Bay has to do is run out to the suburbs and exurbs, pick up all the construction from out there (dozens of oldfolkes sprawlplazas) and pile them all up downtown. Hell if they were all in one building we could easily have something as big as Spire at least. :P Thats how many of the damn things there are. One near my school is about 200m long. :X

[softee]

Here's an article about the transit terminal i copied from www.baytoday.ca
http://www.baytoday.ca/content/news/details.asp?c=15427

The city hosted an official groundbreaking ceremony today at the corner of Oak and Wyld Streets where the new transit terminal will sit.

With eight designated bays the new terminal will make it much easier for people to find their bus as well as grab a cup of coffee from a coffee shop that will also sell bus passes.

“It will be much more convenient for the drivers to have everything on one level rather than having to run up a couple of flights of stairs to get to our current facility,” says transit manager Peter Reid.

Reid also points out that the new facility will offer other amenities that are long over due including washroom facilities that are sadly lacking at the moment.

Downtown Manager Jeff Serran says the new terminal brings the area one step closer to seeing the finished product of new face of the Waterfront development.

“It’s going to mean more beautification and vitalisation of the downtown core and we’re really looking forward to the completion of the transit terminal,” says Serran.

“It’s going to mean more people downtown, and the more people coming downtown is good for the businesses, so we’re really excited about this project.”

Councillor Dave Mendicino, Chair of the Community Services Committee, says it has been twenty years in the making but he is pleased that all three levels of government came together to help make the project a reality.

“When I was told it was since 1988 that this has been in the works, and for various reasons mainly budgetary that it was never able to happen it kind of made us more determined to see if we could do something,” says Mendicino.

“When we came on council one of the first things that was identified was that if we could possibly make something like this happen a new transit terminal that would certainly be a step in the right direction, considering everything else that’s been going on downtown.”

Mendicino says the department is excited with the positive change the new terminal will bring about but says the real focus is on the riders.

“It’ll be nice that while they’re waiting for a bus here that they’ll be able to wait in the comfort of a heated building. You’re going to see the state of the art bays develop, we’re certainly injecting a lot of funds into the transit operation in general not to mention the upgrade of the transit fleet.”

Nipissing MPP Monique Smith echoed Mendicino stating the province was delighted to be a partner in the project through the gas tax initiative.

“I think that the new terminal is just going to be a real bonus to the riders, I think it may increase ridership and I think it will be an added attraction to the downtown.”

[vid]

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/7223/s1010027mn9.jpg

Thunder Bay: 'Fuckin' boring.'

I think that's on the back of the EEkos building, or the one beside it. It's along Cooke Street anyway.

[osirisboy]

Here's another recent project that was completed last spring in downtown North Bay, it's called the 'Empire Terrace Suites' and it nicely filled in a big hole in the streetscape along Mcintyre St.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/EmpireMcintyreStW09-09-05.jpg


very nice development its good to see a new building being built right out to the sidewalk (somewhat). it fits in nicely with the older building beside it.

thanks for the pictures.

[softee]

^ You're welcome, thanks for the comment.

http://www.nob.on.ca/industry/construction/09-06-building.asp
North Bay experiencing building boom not seen in 20 years

By IAN ROSS

Retail development in North Bay is catching up with its robust home building boom.

The arrival of Home Depot two years ago has kick-started the arrival of new power shopping centres on McKeown Avenue and the Highway 11/17 bypass.

McKeown Avenue is hot property for new and expanding retail in North Bay. MTO is examining the city’s future retail and traffic growth with a proposed new expressway at the Highway 11/17 interchange. The city is experiencing a building boom not seen in 20 years.

“McKeown is hot property,” says City of North Bay planning manager Ian Kilgour. “Northgate Square plaza likely has future expansion plans, and the corner of Seymour and the highway bypass will continue to grow.”

Canadian Tire’s 30,000-square-foot addition is underway and rumours persist of Loblaw’s opening a Big Box grocery outlet between the highway and McKeown.

A new pharmacy centre is being proposed nearby and North Bay businessman John Hopper has two-and-a-half acres of commercial property on the street that is slated for commercial development. On the east end of McKeown, on the way to the airport, Bradwick Property is building a strip mall.

On the highway, half of the current North Bay Chamber of Commerce property will be annexed for a 120-room Marriott hotel next door to the Home Depot. An adjacent nine acres of vacant city-owned land, once a City Public Works yard, is being designated for commercial purposes.

A Chrysler dealership is relocating from Lakeshore to the Highway 11/17 corridor with a Hyundai dealership relocating on Trout Lake Road.

Kilgour credits the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development for identifying gaps in a retail market study and actively recruiting new retailers to come to North Bay.

Institutionally, construction of the North Bay Regional Hospital mega-project on Highway 17 is expected to begin by year’s end.

Across town, a $45-million water treatment plant is underway to replace a 75-year-old pumping station with a modern water filtering system.

In June, groundbreaking began on the new Ecole Publique Elementaire, a new $11-million French elementary school on Connaught Avenue, which will be open September 2007.

North Bay’s vibrant home building market continues unabated well into 2006.

Dalron’s $25-million Marina Point seniors’ development is progressing on North Bay’s waterfront and the Watersun Condominium project on Lakeshore Drive was being framed in early August.

Figures released in July by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) indicates North Bay leads the four major cities in northeastern Ontario in housing starts.


“So much for plateauing,” says Warren Philp, CMHC’s Northern Ontario market analyst, who predicted home starts would slacken off in 2006 from the historic highs of the previous two years.

Since 2000, single detached starts in North Bay have risen from to 70, 89, 105, 123, 139 and up to 163 in 2005, with the city on track to better that mark.

Philp says North Bay and its neighbouring townships recorded 72 home starts until the end of July, up 9.1 per cent from 66 during last year’s first seven months.

Total starts — including single and multi-family units — were recorded at 115, up from 66 during the same period.
The resale market has also been remarkable, says Philp.

As of June 30, sales recorded were 779 semi-detached units, up from 698 last year, a healthy 11.9 per cent increase in sales. Home prices on average were in the $161,773 range, “clearly the strongest resale market from a price standpoint in Northern Ontario,” says Philp.

With all types of residential units sold through the multiple listing service of the North Bay Real Estate Board, price figures were up 10.1 per cent from last year.

Philp says as more land has been made available, potential homeowners have the choice to buy or build new. “There’s been some pent-up demand that’s been satisfied in the last few years.”

Based on his conversations with local real estate agents, homebuyers are a combination of retirees and people who have done well in the community and starting to take advantage of wealth and move up in the market. “I’ve been surprised by the number of people who are empty nesters and still wanting that bigger house or new house with everything they want.”

The cottage market continues to boom with appraisers in North Bay talking about the effect of twinning Highway 11 North and how cottage prices were moving in tandem with the road-widening project.

Kilgour confirms new subdivisions are coming on line with 30 mid-priced lots planned for the Kingsway subdivision near the future North Bay expressway and 40 lots are planned for the Thelma subdivision in West Ferris.

Forty, more upscale, lots are in the works for the Stone Manor project next to Kenwood Hills Drive.

To handle the surge of building applications, the City of North Bay recently instituted a DART (Development Application Review Team) program designed to fast-track planning applications.

Meeting twice monthly, the 10-member team includes all the city departments plus a conservation authority member.
The idea being to ease applications more efficiently through the planning process, says Kilgour.

“We changed it from a paper process to more of a consulting process and it allows us to speak with one voice.”

[softee]

http://www.nob.on.ca/regionalReports/NorthBay/09-06-hwy17.asp
Improving traffic flow along the Hwy. 11-17 corridor

By IAN ROSS

The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is dusting off a 50-year-old plan to improve traffic flow through North Bay, and hopefully ease some development frustrations, with a new Highway 11/17 bypass.

For years, ‘Route 6’ has been the big ‘X’ factor that city planners, developers and the business community have known only too well when siting new business on the highway.

With retail space along Lakeshore Drive and McKeown Avenue in the city’s North End shopping district close to being maxed out, new development is shifting over to the Highway 11-17 corridor.

The success of the two-year-old Home Depot outlet and a likely expansion to Northgate Square plaza has rejuvenated developers’ interest in being located on one of Northern Ontario’s busiest thoroughfares.

The plan to create a new highway by-pass or expressway has been on the MTO’s books since the 1960’s. A route later was identified in the mid-1970’s for a four-lane divided highway.

Known as Route 6, a new alignment would run just to the northeast of the current route, behind the present-day Northgate Plaza.

Though the MTO has slowly accumulated property for the potential right-of-way, no construction has taken place.

Some in the business community argue it’s stalled some highway development in anticipation of the new alignment going through.

“Whenever there’s a planning project anywhere near it, they (MTO) mention Route 6,” says Mark King, president of the North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce, who also serves on the city’s planning board.

As a consulting agency, MTO approvals are required for municipal rezoning applications and the issuance of building permits.

King says in cases where developers are required to make road improvements such as turning lanes or install traffic lights, who pays for the upgrades? “We don’t know.”

“You don’t want to give the impression we’re not open for development,” says King, who also serves on the City of North Bay’s planning board.

But Ian Kilgour, the City’s manager of planning, calls any animosity between the City and the MTO “last year’s news” and cites the ongoing 30,000-square-foot expansion of Canadian Tire as a sign no development is being held up.

“We’re on very good terms with the MTO and we respect their processes.”

Kilgour says city staff are on the same page with MTO’s senior planners who regard the expressway study as a top priority.


The cost of any future road upgrades for future development will likely be a combination of the City of North Ba and the developer negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

The MTO has retained Stantec Consulting of Hamilton to do some preliminary design work and an environmental assessment study.

The consulting engineer has established a website (www.northbayhighwaystudy.ca) to allow locals to track the progress of the study and provide feedback.

King admits the existing 11/17 highway corridor is outdated but instead of creating a new alignment, he favours widening the existing route with interchanges at the three busiest intersections at Algonquin Avenue, Trout Lake Road and Seymour Street.

Though construction is years away, King would also like to see some short-term fixes.

Most notably to deal with an Ontario Northland Railway (ONR) crossing on Highway 17 that backs up traffic and offers few detour options for rush hour commuters and emergency vehicles.

King also says Trout Lake Road — Highway 63 to Quebec — “is one of the busiest two-lane highways around” that hasn’t seen since significant upgrades in years.


MTO spokesman Gordan Rennie says the future Highway 11/17 alignment will include an overpass where it crosses the ONR line but there is no feasible short-term solution to deal with the crossing.

The expressway will be a divided four-lane freeway with no plans for an elevated expressway.

“The ministry is not certain if more or less property will be required for the future highway. That is one of the objectives of the current planning study.”

Public information sessions are planned for this fall and next year before the planning study wraps up in summer 2007.

But King still believes new provincial planning legislation is warranted to stimulate growth in Northern Ontario.

He supports a brief prepared by the Northern Ontario Municipalities and Planning Board which was sent to provincial Municipal Affairs Minister John Gerretsen calling for a “new deal” for planning in the North.

“We’ve got southern Ontario rules in Northern Ontario and growth does not happen here that easily.”

With population decreases in northeastern Ontario predicted over the next 25 years and the cyclical nature of the region’s resource-dependent economy, King says the province’s development rules are stifling growth.

www.northbayhighwaystudy.ca

[vid]

Chartwell Home opened today. I can handle 100s of old people. It's their second location in town! :D

And bears haven't been seen in the urban area since Monday! A new record!

[softee]

Here are a couple more pics i snapped today of the Marina Point development taken from the other side. The 6 storey building will go up in that sand duny area just to the left of the 4 storey building.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/Sept16-06marinapointfromcprd.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/Sept16-06marinapointfromcprb.jpg

[softee]

From today's North Bay Nugget:
City OKs new 100-room hotel; Traffic study finds development won't affect intersection

Gord Young
Local News - Tuesday, October 31, 2006 @ 08:00

City council gave the green light Monday for a proposed 100-room hotel near Home Depot, after a traffic study found changes are not required at the intersection of Seymour Street and the highways 11-17 bypass.

Councillors lifted a special holding designation placed on the zoning of the property pending the study to determine if any intersection improvements would be needed for the hotel due to increased traffic.

"It's a go," said Coun. Dave Mendicino, community services chairman, noting the construction could begin this fall with developers hoping to move forward as soon as possible.


The Chamberlain Management Group has a tentative land purchase agreement with the city and plans to build the four-storey hotel between the North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce and the home renovation centre. Mendicino said the chamber office and Dionne Quints Museum will remain in their current locations as part of the plan.

He said the traffic study, financed by the Chamberlain Group, indicates the proposed hotel development will not generate a large amount of traffic or significantly affect the existing intersection. Mendicino said both city staff and the Ministry of Transportation have signed off on the study.

But he said a second phase will look at needs to accommodate the anticipated full build-up of surrounding lands, particularly the 3.6-hectare parcel behind Home Depot. Mendicino said the city is footing the bill for the second phase of the study, because it expects to recoup the cost through future land sales.

The ministry has said reconstruction of the intersection two years ago was meant to satisfy increased traffic due to the Home Depot and the True North auto dealership, and additional improvements may be necessary for any further development.

Intersection improvements, according to the ministry, could include a fourth entry lane at the northeast corner, longer acceleration and deceleration lanes and tapers, widening Seymour Street to have a double left turn onto the westbound bypass, median islands on both city street approaches, upgraded traffic signals and a second municipal access to Seymour Street south.

[vid]

YOU'RE getting a hotel near Home Depot too?????? It's going to be four storeys too????

WOW! :D

Thunder Bay is getting one too!! :D

[vid]

From the same thread at SSC

Thunder Bay North side Waterfront development... Needs some work though

http://www.thunderbay.ca/docs/waterfront/2745.pdf

Page 55+ has the bulk of the information about the project we have completed phase 1, with improvements being made to the rail way crossings for better access to the water... also it includes moving the rest of the Pool 6 rubble from the site and and getting designs drawn up for the condos/stores ect... we also have plans for a hotel to start construction next year which will be 5-6 storys and condos will also be around that height... Thunder Bay has finally started this plan... it only took 20 years :(

I read the condos will be less than 4 storeys. The city doesn't want to go over the four floor threshold for some unknown reason.

The Marriott Hotel will be 4 floors. If it goes past four floors the city will 'take action' :dunno:

I also read somewhere they they want to relocated Water Street Bus Terminal, and put condos there.

Lets hope the next city council does something other than sit on their fat asses. :)

Well now i know that they want to build a Marriott here :P i dont know why city council didnt face them towards waterfront property... would have saved them alot of trouble later in finding another hotel to go in there. i know for some reason they dont want to go over the 4-5 story limit of the CN station in PA. just doesnt make any sense to me anyways... why build 6-8 4 story condos when you can build 2 to 3, 6-7 story condos... that would make a nice addition to downtown.. and if they incorparated the retail on the bottom floor they can save some more space on the water front... we should attend some town hall meetings Vid and maybe talk some sense into our damn stupid (and old) city council... make a presentation on the waterfront development for the next meeting late winter, thats what thunder bay really needs to do is tell city council what to do not just let them do whatever they want...

This is a new plan, it looks interesting. Though the buildings have all been scaled back to 4 storeys due to 'complaints'.

[Dalreg]

What Thunder Bay has to do is run out to the suburbs and exurbs, pick up all the construction from out there (dozens of oldfolkes sprawlplazas) and pile them all up downtown. Hell if they were all in one building we could easily have something as big as Spire at least. :P Thats how many of the damn things there are. One near my school is about 200m long. :X

Maybe they should just close the city down and move it to downtown Toronto.

[Danny D]

Muahahaha... Vid will be jealous to know that i just realized that i know one of the lead/one of the only architects in town :P you do know what that means right? *cough* http://members.shaw.ca/artitech/thesis/site-development.html
*cough*

i am also going to be looking at some of the condo designs :)

that is the accepted plan that they have come up with for the heritage center and docks for the cruise ships that annual stop by here... but for the last 20 years have not been able to completely accommodate here due to no formal docking... the city also wants to obtain the CN North rail yards which will then be dug up and used for a train tour of tbay using existing and new lines...

[vid]

Maybe they should just close the city down and move it to downtown Toronto.

I suggested that, but TROC thinks it would be too much expense for such a hopeless city. :)


I liked that proposal, but I really doubt it will go through all the way. It's too 'unusual' for the rest of the city. Personally, I think it's a bold idea, but it needs a bit more work to make it perfect. Some of it's elements don't fit in just right, and it looks a bit off balanced. Great concept though.

You should post some of that at tbchat.com, maybe bring up a conversation or something over there. :)

[Danny D]

Of course all that orange and red and stuff isnt actually in the design :P damn a-cad lol. Tbchat.com? never been maybe spark some interest over this topic and get people to talk some sense into the new city council when they come in.. tell them to stop being so freakin old and get with the times lol

...i hate all the old people here...

Im glad to see some proposals going out there though. more will come in time. but its kinda slow when we only have 3 certified B.Archs in town and one M.Arch in town. i will pst more when i can

[vid]

It isn't the colours I don't like, its the massing. It looks a bit uneven, I think. Some elements need to be moved or made smaller/bigger, etc. I like those colours, though. There are too many monochromatic buildings in this city.

[softee]

Here's a pic i snapped in late September of North Bay's newly completed high school (the 6th in the city), the other pic is of a site directly across the street of a new elementary school that was just beginning construction, the steel frame has since been erected since the photo was taken. These new schools are located in a new residential area that is being developed near the city's ski hill, the area is surrounded by long existing neighbourhoods, so it is actually an infill development as opposed to suburban sprawl.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/Sept23-06j.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/Sept23-06i.jpg

[Danny D]

" It isn't the colours I don't like, its the massing. It looks a bit uneven, I think. Some elements need to be moved or made smaller/bigger, etc. I like those colours, though. There are too many monochromatic buildings in this city."

I know this city wont fly for this but maybe add on a small mall inside that building to even it out the design? i mean cities like Red Deer have like 2-3 Large malls in the city and we unfortunatly only have one... and it is now turning into the Box Store district... *sigh*

well im on my way to the archs office.

[vid]

We have Intercity, County Fair and Arthur Street Market, those are the larger malls. Northwood Park, Grandview and Victoriaville are the other three. Including other smaller indoor and strip malls, and we probably out-mall Red Deer.

Big Box Districts, properly known as Power Centres, are the 'wave of the future' in the science of turning society into a blasphemous waste of molecules occupying a city's ex-urban hellscape. They're morally and ethically wrong.

A few high and shoppes and restaurants inside the building would be quite lovely, though. :P Something else to do on the waterfront other than whatever that building was for.

[Greco Roman]

I really like that waterfront developement proposal for Thunder Bay. It would complement the city quite nicely. I think Thunder Bay is a beautiful city that is severly underrated. I am origionally from Winnipeg, and loved to get out to the Shield's sunset country of Eastern Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario when I had a chance. The areas between Hadashville, Mb. and Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. are the most beautiful in the world, and I hope to one day settle down somewhere out there. So many lakes, so much fishing. Oilberta ain't got nutin on this area :tup:

[softee]

Today i took a couple of shots of the progress of the new transit terminal and of one of the facade improvement projects on Main St. For the latter i added a 'before' pic i took of the same location last year.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/November30th-06newBusTerminal.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/November30th-06newBusTerminalb.jpg

Before:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/Mainst.jpg
After:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/November30th-06Cleopatrastore.jpg

[softee]

2006 was another all-time record year for construction in NB.

From www.baytoday.ca:

The City of North Bay Building Department released the 2006 building permit statistics, which revealed a record-breaking $101, 264,797 in construction last year.

Included in that figure is $30 million for the building portion of the water treatment plant, currently under construction. If that building were excluded, as it is a one-time anomaly, the $71,264,797 total still surpasses the previous record set in 2004 by over $180,000.

The construction year included 86 single family homes, a robust industrial/commercial mix, and a large institutional component. The single family dwellings represent the third-highest number constructed in a single year, and while they are expected to slow somewhat in 2007, should continue to remain strong compared to North American trends. The industrial/commercial sector saw construction in the Gateway Industrial Park for the first time in over a decade, many expansions of existing businesses and industries throughout the city, and a new 100-unit Holiday Inn Express currently under construction adjacent to the Information Centre. The new French Public Elementary school and the renovations at Ecole Secondaire Algonquin led the institutional component.

All City departments were involved in making North Bay ‘Open for Business’. The creation of the DART group (Development Application Review Team) was a significant improvement in how applications are handled. The group, comprised of all applicable City departments, assembles to meet with applicants at one time, streamlining the approval process and resolving issues before they get out of hand.

The Building Department ultimately issued a total of 750 building permits, while continuing to implement the changes mandated by the Province under Bill 124.

[vid]

Some info from Thunder Bay. F. Lionel at tbchat.com (http://www.tbchat.com/viewtopic.php?t=409) took the time to compile a list.

Actual Construction -
Unnamed Retail Space at Thunder Center (Near Isabel Street Entrance)
Days Inn North (Junot St)
Unnamed Public School (Sherwood Park)
Holy Cross School Expansion (Jumbo Gardens)
Hilldale Seniors Complex (Hilldale Road)
St. Bernards School Expansion (River Street)
Sacred Heart School Expansion (Franklin Street)
The Beer Store Expansion (Red River Road)
Cascades Mill Modernization (Shipyard Road)
Unknown Retail Space (Arthur Street beside Fat Cats)
Plymouth Landing (Montreal Street)
Commercial Development (Carrick Street behind HSBC)
Roadway Expansion (LU)
Baseball Central Expansion (Baseball Central)
Shabaqua Extension (between Expressway and Twin City Crossroads)
Gore Motors Expansion (Memorial Avenue)
Ecole Catholique Franco-Superieur Expansion (River Street)


Proposed & Approved -
Shopper's Drug Mart Relocation (McIntyre Centre)
A&P Expansion (Arthur Street Marketplace)
Emergency Training Center (Hammond Avenue & Confederation College)
Site Improvements - Security Berm (Marina Park)
Skate Park (Marina Park)
Phase Two Condos (Former Pine Street on School Red River Road)
Medical Clinic (Golf Links Road)
Hospice (Reaume Street - I don't remember the organization's name)
Widening of Red River Road (between Clarkson & Junot)
John Street Resurfacing (Algonquin to Expressway)
Marriot Hotel and Restaurant (Carrick Street)
Husky Truckstop (Alloy Drive)
Unknown Retail Building (Fort William Road & Burbidge Street)
New Railyard Overpass (Brown Street)
Relocation of Broadway Avenue (Neebing Ave south of Bowater)
George Jefferies Children's Treatment Centre (Franklin St.?)
07JA10-Reconstruction of Balrose Bridge at intersection of John Street Road.
07JA10-New gymnasium/library/classrooms at Algonquin Avenue Public School. (I went there. :))
07JA11-Renovations of Uncle Frank's into restaurant, hotel and water park. (Neebing)

Other Proposed but not Finalized -
Two Third Party Research Buildings (LU)
New Courthouse (Site Unknown - Possibly Southside Downtown)
Unknown Retail Building (Thunder Centre - Main Street Entrance)
Walmart Expansion (RioCan Centre)
John Street Overpass (Water Street)
The Athletic Club (County Fair Plaza)
Thunder Bay Gymnastics Centre (Duluth Road)
Lake Superior Place (Marina Park)
Grain Terminal Interpretation Centre (Marina Park or Kam Heritage Park)
Can-Op Expansion (Fort William Road)
Farmers Marketplace (11th Avenue)
Tim Hortons (South James Street)
Flying J Truck Stop (Innova Park)
Kam River Pedestrian Bridge (Kam Heritage Park)
Cruise Ship Terminal (Marina Park)
Dollarama (Arthur Street Marketplace)



Not much, but it's not too little either. :) See how things look when someone takes time to do them? :) If I didn't break my camera on Wednesday morning, I'd go and get some pictures! :)

[softee]

^ Nice list!
Another new Hotel is coming to North Bay.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/January10thhotelarticleasmall.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/January10thhotelarticleb.jpg

[vid]

Big plans for city landmark
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 1/11/2007 3:58:03 PM (http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=91056)



Some major redevelopment plans are in the works for a Thunder Bay landmark. After being owned for over 60 years by the city's Colosimo family, the Uncle Frank's Supper Club property on Highway 61 has been sold and the new owner has a wide-ranging, three phase plan to transform it.

The new owner, Sioux Lookout businessman Dick Davidson, completed arrangements to acquire the property in mid-December. Davidson says he's hoping to create a 'Village mall' type concept on the 40-acre plot of land that would provide a range of services for the large residential population in the area, as well as others using the Highway 61 route.

In the first phase, he hopes to re-develop the restaurant and add an upscale grocery outlet, a banking centre and a coffee-sandwich shop operation. Additional phases would concentrate on more retail space and eventually, a hotel/waterpark complex. He estimates total development costs at over $12-million.

Davidson says the key hurdle initially will be obtaining a highway/commercial rezoning for the 850 feet of frontage on the property, something he hopes to apply for this spring. If all goes well, construction could proceed as early as this summer. In the meantime , Davidson says he will continue to consult with neighbors in the area and look for possible partners to join in the project.


Sounds interesting. It will complement the hockey centre and hotel/convention centre already in downtown Neebing.

(Downtown Neebing and Downtown Shuniah are both in Thunder Bay, because we ate them.)

[Greco Roman]

Has anyone heard if they are going to re-develope that Minaki Lodge that burnt down a while back?

[vid]

They decided not to, so no. It will remain a burnt out ruin, to be reclaimed by the boreal forest. :)

Unless it was cleaned up? I don't know. I stopped following it after they decided not to rebuild though. There are lots of other lodges now anyway.

[softee]

I just heard on the local TV news that the second new NB hotel is to be a 200 room Holiday In Suites, so it seems like a pretty good bet that it will be a little on the taller side if the 100 room hotel already under construction is 4 storeys. Hopefully the second hotel will be twice the height of the first one, but we'll see.

[vid]

http://www.nosta.on.ca/content/business/business_30880.jpg

265 rooms.

But we do have a six story one with 126 rooms, so who knows? You could get a 10 story one. If it's half the length as the Prince Arthur, it would be 20 storeys.

[softee]

I think that the new hotel here will have a much smaller footprint compared to the pic you posted, given the size of the lot that it will be constructed on. At least i hope so!

[vid]

Well here's hoping it's ugly!

j/k. :) I'm just jealous is all.

[softee]

^ That's right - take that Thunder Bay!

Here are a couple of development related articles from the Timmins Daily Press that I came across.
http://www.timminspress.com/webapp/sitepages

Downtown receiving facelift

Chelsey Romain / The Daily Press
Local News - Friday, January 12, 2007 @ 10:00

The Timmins and South Porcupine downtown cores are in need of a facelift and city officials are looking to the public for input.

Next week public meetings will be held to help develop a streetscape plan, that would help revitalize both the Timmins and South Porcupine downtown areas, said city intermediate planner Andrea Griener.

"A streetscape plan brings a special or unique atmosphere to the community," said Griener. "It's more visual, with a common look and feel throughout the area."

During the meeting, participants will be asked to take a walk through downtown to make any observations about what a common theme should be for the areas, what kind of things create barriers for mobility and what items would help spruce up the area.


Typically, a streetscape plan covers everything from building facades, green spaces and outdoor furniture to parking, the width of streets and sidewalks.

"It's different people with different perspectives walking the downtown together," Griener. "They'll notice different things and point out unique features.

"It's a good learning tool."

Should the temperature drop too low next week, Griener said the walk may not take place, but said organizing the meeting in the winter will help decide what ideas will function all year long.

"The reality is we deal with snow most of the year," said Griener.

The streetscape plan comes after the city introduced the community improvement plans for both areas last year. The plans outline grants and loans to be available to business owners looking to give their business a facelift.

"We're not starting from scratch," said Griener, adding that there has been surveys and a project allowing high school students to give their ideas.

"A lot of those ideas have been pulled out."

To date only Sault Ste. Marie has begun its own revitalization project, while Griener said North Bay is four to five years ahead of the pack, with both a downtown and lakeside project completed.

The last time the Timmins downtown received a new look was 25 years ago, when the interlocking brick was laid in the streets and the lamp posts were erected.

"It's time things need to be re-assessed, the common feel is not there," said Griener.

"We've learned some things from the last project and it's time we go back and look at some ideas."

The public meeting for the Timmins downtown core will take place on Jan. 16 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Timmins Public Library and in South Porcupine at the Maurice Londry Community Centre on Jan. 17 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The streetscape project is set to wrap up in March, but it could take up to six months for ideas to be implemented.



Northern cities question exclusion from provincial growth strategy

Scott Paradis / The Daily Press
Local News - Friday, January 12, 2007 @ 10:00

A provincial growth strategy doesn't include Northern Ontario, and a representative of a regional business advocacy group says he intends to find out why.

Steve Kidd, Northeastern Ontario Chamber of Commerce chairman, wrote a letter to the provincial government about its Places to Grow Act, which outlines a growth strategy to urban southern Ontario cities.

"They're identifying areas where they want to put some energy for growth," Kidd said. "We feel Northern Ontario should be identified as a growth area."

A sluggish forestry sector has stalled growth in a number of Northern communities. Bad forestry-related news has also caused a number of cities and towns to shrink.


That doesn't mean growth is non-existent in the North, Kidd said.

"We feel Northern Ontario should be identified as a growth area," he said. "There's enough energy from the mining sector ... and we have a lot to offer."

Kidd said he's disappointed that Ontario didn't considered any of the five major Northern centres- Timmins, Sudbury, North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay.

The province, however, isn't excluding the North from being classified as a "growth area," said Amy Tang, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Renewal.

She said the area selected for the "province's first ever growth plan," was the Greater Golden Horseshoe because it will likely see "phenomenal" growth in the coming years.

The act is not meant to suggest that the government doesn't recognize Northern areas as growing. Instead, it addresses the massive growth facing one particular region, she said.

Ministry statistics show the Greater Golden Horseshoe may house an additional four million people over the next 30 years. The Greater Golden Horseshoe area includes cities such as Windsor, Barrie, Niagara Falls and Hamilton.

"The Greater Golden Horseshoe has been selected as the first region for a (provincial) growth plan," Tang said. "It doesn't mean it will be the last."

Kidd said he sent his concerns to the provincial government in the form of a letter in mid-December.

So far, he said he hasn't heard a response.

That letter was sent to John Gerretsen, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, but representatives from that ministry said it wasn't responsible for the Places to Grow Act.

The letter may have been forwarded to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Renewal, but that couldn't be confirmed by press time.

Kidd said he plans to get other Northern-based groups involved in lobbying the government to provide parts of the North with its own growth plan.

[vid]

Thunder Bay may be running a bit behind, but this city council has promised that by the end of their term, work will at least have started on the waterfront and Downtown Fort William will be greatly improved.

I have suggested turning Cumberland South from Red River to Pearl into a residential mall, but I doubt that will happen. :(

[softee]

From today's NB Nugget:

College approves 'vision' for growth; Nipissing must also accept plan

Bryn Weese
Local News - Wednesday, January 17, 2007 Updated @ 11:02:56 AM

Canadore College's board of governors approved Tuesday night a land use master plan that will guide development at its joint campus with Nipissing University over the next two decades.

The only caveat is the plan also has to be approved by Nipissing's board of governors.

The first such plan, which outlines what type of development can go where and what it must look like, was developed in 1968. It has been updated three times since - in 1992, 1996 and 2001.

Rapid development, particularly at Nipissing, outdated the land use plans faster than previous boards imagined, said Ewen Cornick, a board member at Canadore.

"What's happened, particularly on the university side, was there was such rocket development with respect to the buildings, that the plans that we anticipated lasting for 10 to 15 years were extinct within a five-year time period," he said.
"This is a good comprehensive plan and I think it's given us quite a vision for the two institutions to follow for the next two decades."

Focusing on 10 priorities and including 38 recommendations, the current plan says parking should not dominate the feel of the campus as it currently does from the front, and future development should complement the natural setting of the campus, not work against it. That means future buildings should be limited to two or three storeys and should not extend beyond the tree line.

The master plan also calls for the west side of the pond to be set aside for future residences.

"What the master plan is is a series of guidelines for future development dealing with the physical aspects of the campus," Cornick said.

"What types of activities should be located on which areas of the campus and also the types of environmental and energy guidelines we should be following."

The price tag of the plan is approximately $200,000 to be shared equally by Nipissing and Canadore. It was developed over 15 months with architects and planners, as well as input from other interested stakeholders.

While it does not offer an estimate as to how much money will be spent on development and infrastructure upgrades over the next 20 years, Cornick predicted significant investments will be needed within 15 years.

As examples, he mentioned $1.2 million over the next five years to upgrade the electrical systems of the two campuses (of which $1 million is already committed), a sustainability plan for the joint facility, and approximately $20,000 for a storm water management plan, the latter of which will be required before the city will approve any future building permits for the campus.

Infrastructure costs, as well as the costs to build joint facilities, will be shared by both the college and the university, but the costs for individual campus development, such as Canadore's new media centre and arts centre, will not be shared.

[vid]

Local hotel plans moving along
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 1/18/2007 4:27:50 PM (http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=91344)

A new hotel project that received approval from city council in late October, is now preparing for construction. Architectural drawings are being finalized for a four-storey Marriot chain hotel that will go up near the Harbourview Expressway and Carrick Street.

The hotel will offer 120 rooms, including 35 suites, conference rooms and a restaurant. Sahar Hospitality says construction will begin this summer. It's expected to create forty to fifty jobs when it opens in the summer of 2008. The Courtyard-Marriot is designed to cater mainly to corporate clients.
Meantime construction is underway on a new Days Inn in the city. The 56 room hotel, being built on Golf Links Road near the Regional Health Sciences Centre, is expected to open this June. Thanks to the mild winter weather so far, construction is said to be on target. The hotel will be geared toward hospital and University cliental and management says they expect to hire 15-to-20 employees.

==

Dismantling of Wheat Board may help Thunder Bay port
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 1/18/2007 2:17:17 PM (http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=91330)

NDP Leader Jack Layton is chiming in on the debate over the future of the Canadian Wheat Board. Wrangling continues over the wording of an upcoming plebiscite that will be voted on by grain producers. Federal Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl has yet to release the wording of the question. But Layton says there cannot be any ambiguity and the question must be clear.

Meantime, the CEO of the Port of Thunder Bay says there is no consensus locally on what the impact would be if the Wheat Board were dismantled. Tim Heney says about 65% of the grain that flows through Thunder Bay is Wheat Board Grain. But Heney says a demise of the Wheat Board would have a big impact on the Port of Churchill...something we might benefit from. 'The stories are that if something happens to the Wheat Board's monopoly, it will affect grain though Churchill, and certainly we're willing to take that on through Thunder Bay.' says Heney.
Heney says the fact that non-board grain goes through Thunder Bay, demonstrates that it's an effective mode of grain transport...which he says he hopes continues in the future.

==

Actual Construction -
Unnamed Retail Space at Thunder Center (Near Isabel Street Entrance)
Days Inn North (Golf Links Road by Hospital)
Unnamed Public School (Sherwood Park)
Holy Cross School Expansion (Jumbo Gardens)
Hilldale Seniors Complex (Hilldale Road)
St. Bernards School Expansion (River Street)
Sacred Heart School Expansion (Franklin Street)
The Beer Store Expansion (Red River Road)
Cascades Mill Modernization (Shipyard Road)
Unknown Retail Space (Arthur Street beside Fat Cats)
Plymouth Landing (Montreal Street)
Commercial Development (Carrick Street behind HSBC)
Roadway Expansion (LU)
Baseball Central Expansion (Baseball Central)
Shabaqua Extension (between Expressway and Twin City Crossroads)
Gore Motors Expansion (Memorial Avenue)
Ecole Catholique Franco-Superieur Expansion (River Street)


Proposed & Approved -
Shopper's Drug Mart Relocation (McIntyre Centre)
A&P Expansion (Arthur Street Marketplace)
Emergency Training Center (Hammond Avenue & Confederation College)
Site Improvements - Security Berm (Marina Park)
Skate Park (Marina Park)
Phase Two Condos (Former Pine Street on School Red River Road)
Medical Clinic (Golf Links Road)
Hospice (Reaume Street - I don't remember the organization's name)
Widening of Red River Road (between Clarkson & Junot)
John Street Resurfacing (Algonquin to Expressway)
Courtyard-Marriot Hotel and Restaurant (Carrick Street)
Husky Truckstop (Alloy Drive)
Unknown Retail Building (Fort William Road & Burbidge Street)
New Railyard Overpass (Brown Street)
Relocation of Broadway Avenue (Neebing Ave south of Bowater)
George Jefferies Children's Treatment Centre (Franklin St.?)
07JA10-Reconstruction of Balrose Bridge at intersection of John Street Road. (John Street Road @ Belrose Road)
07JA10-New gymnasium/library/classrooms at Algonquin Avenue Public School. (Algonquin Avenue)

Other Proposed but not Finalized -
Two Third Party Research Buildings (LU)
New Courthouse (Site Unknown - Possibly Southside Downtown)
Unknown Retail Building (Thunder Centre - Main Street Entrance)
Walmart Expansion (RioCan Centre)
John Street Overpass (Water Street)
The Athletic Club (County Fair Plaza)
Thunder Bay Gymnastics Centre (Duluth Road)
Lake Superior Place (Marina Park)
Grain Terminal Interpretation Centre (Marina Park or Kam Heritage Park)
Can-Op Expansion (Fort William Road)
Farmers Marketplace (11th Avenue)
Tim Hortons (South James Street)
Flying J Truck Stop (Innova Park)
Kam River Pedestrian Bridge (Kam Heritage Park)
Cruise Ship Terminal (Marina Park)
Dollarama (Arthur Street Marketplace)
07JA11-Renovations of Uncle Frank's into restaurant, hotel and water park. (Neebing)

[softee]

I just found this rendering on the City of North Bay website of the 100 unit Holiday Inn Express that is currently under construction - it turns out that it is actually 5 storeys instead of 4, i can dig it!

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/otm01319_1437.jpg

[vid]

http://img389.imageshack.us/img389/1935/imaginewaterfrontlrgdu1.jpg (http://www.thunderbay.ca/index.cfm?fuse=html&pg=5022)

Click the picture for more. :)

[softee]

I went and snapped some shots of the new Holiday Inn project the other day, it's already up to the start of the third floor, so it shouldn't be long before they have all 5 floors built up. The building is located right at the Southern entrance to the city along the highway 11/17 Bypass, so it and it's neighbouring hotel (which is yet to begin construction) will be the first buildings people see when entering the city from the South. I also took a pic looking up the highway into the city directly across from the hotel site.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/February9th2007010resized.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/February9th2007018resized.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/February9th2007015resized.jpg

Here's a recent pic of the Watersun Condo project on Lakeshore Drive, it'll be finished by the summer.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/January23rdpics019resized.jpg

[vid]

McKellar sale in the works
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 2/14/2007 5:48:12 PM (http://www.tbsource.com/localnews/index.asp?cid=92459)


A former city hospital could soon take on a new life.

Regional Health Science Centre officials confirm two separate buyers have been found who want to acquire the former McKellar hospital property. They have plans for a major redevelopment that will see the creation of a new retirement facility, and the opening up of new commercial and retail space.

The McKellar hospital has been on the chopping blocks since 2002 and it finally appears to have attracted buyers. The local firm of Habib and Associates will work with S&R Retirement Homes to convert the main south wing of the hospital into a 122-bed retirement residence. And Winnipeg's Laureate Developments will tear down the north side for commercial use.

Regional Hospital vice president Scott Potts says the deal has taken so much time partly because of the facilities currently on the land.

''We've been marketing the property for about four years now, five even. It's been difficult because of the existing facilities and buildings that are on the site.''

The deal can't go through until the conditions of sale are met though, with financing and re-zoning being the main roadblocks at this point. Potts believes that these conditions should be met and the sale will be able to go through as planned.

''The developers have put these offers forward with the intent that they can meet these conditions so we would trust that they should be able to be waived and the deal should be completed.''

Potts says that they're looking for a closing date of mid-May and that once the sale has been finalized, the financial burden of the hospital will be off the Regional Health Sciences Center entirely.


http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1897/iisel2.jpg

[vid]

Council may amend official plan
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 2/19/2007 8:01:44 PM
http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=92665

The agenda is small so it could be a brief meeting for Thunder Bay city council Monday evening. It is headlined by a call from administration for the city to pave the way for new energy generation opportunities in the city's heavy industrial areas.

A report from staff is recommending that the city amend its official plan to allow the generation and distribution of electricity in heavy industrial zones. The amendment is hoping to introduce policies that will support the creation of renewable and alternative energy. It's expected this will help the energy industry redevelop underutilized industrial lands for the purpose of energy generation uses.

The report was authored by Katherine Dugmore, manager of planning for the city.

Waterfront vision shared at forum
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 2/19/2007 8:00:56 PM
http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=92652

There was an opportunity this weekend for city residents to have their say about the future of the city's waterfront.

The city's waterfront development committee played host to an open forum to gather input on what the community thinks is the best course for reshaping the 52-kilometre long waterfront. The session comes just weeks short of the unveiling of the committee's master plan.

How do you imagine Thunder Bay's Waterfront over the next ten years? While some residents see a commercialized park, with shopping centers, eateries and pubs, others want recreation, walking trails, and artwork, included in the 52-kilometer stretch of land. Erin Pupeza, would like a memorial incorporated in the development. She says after seeing a monument in Vancouver honouring fallen soldiers lost in Afghanistan, she feels it's time our city do the same.

While Pupeza is proposing a statue, another group is hoping for something a little larger. Laura Fralick of the Lake Superior Place organization, says there is definitely potential for a major center on the waterfront, a center that will reflect what the city is all about. She compares the lofty proposal to the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

Committee chair, Mark Bentz says engaging the community in the development process of the Waterfront is very important. He says residents seem to be on the same page as the committee, all looking toward a vision that will cater to the locals.

On Wednesday March 7, the community is once again invited to join the waterfront development committee for the unveiling of the Marina Park Village master plan. The event will be held at the Community Auditorium, starting at 7 p.m.

Things are looking up this week, but we lost two historic buildings in fires recently. The Canadian Bank of Commerce (3 storeys, 1911 | Victoria Avenue East) and 49 N Cumberland Street (2 Storeys, 1920s ; Building that used to have Mr. Print and Cupello Law). There are now many people calling for the city to step in and give tax breaks to owners of historic buildings to make it easier for them to fix them up and maintain them.

Commercial building gutted by fire
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 2/19/2007 8:05:34 PM
http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=92647

Investigators continue the search for clues into the cause of a fire that destroyed an entire north-side city block on Saturday.

Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue Service responded to a structural fire at 49 Cumberland Street North, a vacant commercial building, at about 8 a.m. Crews from five stations had to be brought in to help fight the blaze that eventually gutted the structure and caused a portion of the roof to collapse. At one point, heat from the fire was so intense it flew the windows out on the front of the building.

An investigator from the Ontario Fire Marshal's Office was sifting through the remains Monday. Rolf Waffler says the investigation may take some time because of the weather conditions.

''As you can appreciate with the water and now ice that's formed it's going to take a while to get our areas cleared out so we can make a thorough investigation'' he said.

There have been reports of homeless people using the building which led to concern someone may have been inside at the time of the outbreak. But fire officials say a search of the property came up negative.

[softee]

^^ It's good to see that the former hospital may be put to good use, I wonder what will become of NB's present hospital buildings once the new Hospital here opens - although that's still years away as they are only going to begin construction this year.

[vid]

Hopefully yours wont be 3 years late and 400% over budget like ours. :)

And hopefully it wont start falling apart within weeks, like ours. :)

And hopefully you won't have faulty atriums that result in people falling three stories to the cafeteria below, like ours. :)

Any pictures of what it will look like?

Our other hospital is being renovated into a DNA research lab.

[vid]

Council approves rezoning
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 2/20/2007 5:44:59 PM
http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=92703

It will be easier for a large energy producer to set up shop in Thunder Bay. City Council approved a recommendation from administration that heavy industrial and harbour industrial areas be zoned for the generation and distribution of electricity Monday night.

There was plenty of discussion between council and administration about what exactly could be constructed.

Councillor Aldo Ruberto raised the spectre of a coal plant being erected but administration dismissed the possibility, citing the government's current stance on coal power saying it would be a very remote possibility. What they do hope is that it will encourage green sources of energy to take root which the government is encouraging.

The re-zoning could also provide dividends for industry in the city. A complete environmental assessment of a new project will be done by the province before it gets the green light.

:)

[Sulley]

How's Northern Ontario for us chocolate ladeez?

[vid]

There are 190 black females in Thunder Bay, up from 185 10 years ago! :D Congratulations!

There are 440 black people in total! :tup: 15 of them live in the suburbs!

We're white as rice up here. :P Except for the natives.

[vid]

Lots of news today!

Preview of Waterfront plan
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 3/5/2007 7:50:45 PM
http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=93184

Members of the Waterfront Development committee are gearing up for the grand unveiling of the new waterfront master plan which is to be released later this week.

In advance of that, members of the committee are busy this week providing briefings to a variety of groups and organizations. When its finally unveiled, it will be a $100 million vision that focuses on the development of Marina Park. The plan is expected to include a skate park that has already been approved by council, commercial and residential space and a variety of recreational attractions.

The plan will be released to the public on Wednesday night at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium starting at 7 p.m. Residents will have the opportunity to voice any concerns or comments they have on the draft plan at that time. The Marina Park Village master plan will be presented to council for final approval at the end of the month.

:banana:

Expansion planned at LU
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 3/5/2007 7:49:57 PM
http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=93185

The campus of Lakehead University could soon be expanding. Plans are underway for the construction of a new building if the school has its proposal for a Doctoral program in Biotechnology, approved.

University president Fred Gilbert says he's hopeful that within a year, the new program will be given the go ahead by the province. Gilbert stressed the importance of the University continuing to expand it's course offerings. Everything is in place for the Ph.D program to come to Lakehead University he said, they are just awaiting the government approval.

Upgrades for Polish Hall
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 3/5/2007 7:45:04 PM
http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=93172

One of Thunder Bay's oldest cultural buildings is getting an upgrade.

It was announced Sunday that the original Polish Hall of Thunder Bay will receive $100,000 from the provincial government for capital improvements.

The announcement was made official as MPP for Thunder Bay-Atikokan, Bill Mauro presented the cheque to Polish Mutual Benefit Society president Jan Szczepanski. The money will go towards various improvements, including refurbishing some flooring and upgrading washrooms. Szczepanski says the funding is greatly appreciated and work is much needed.

''The hundred thousand dollars is a great, excellent feeling, and with the money we're going to see if we can upgrade our organization to today's standard'' he said.

''We all feel that we're richer as a result of the ethnic background in Thunder Bay has as its mosaic. We were multi-cultural before anybody was using the word in Thunder Bay. So it's tremendous to be able to help them in a small way'' Mauro said.

The Polish Hall was designated a Heritage Building in 2004.

Government funds 211 help centre
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 3/5/2007 5:39:47 PM
http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=93170

The Lakehead Social Planning Council is pleased to announce a new program being funded by the province.

The 211 help centre will be a toll-free number for people looking for information on social and governmental services. Council director Marie Klassen says the centre will employ nine people, who will be certified and trained to deal with people's questions.

The funding will help support the reconstruction of the L.S.P.C's Victoriaville Community Resource Centre. Klassen says the upgrade is needed to accommodate the new call centre for Northern Ontario saying the three-digit phone number will simplify access to community information.

The 211 initiative is a national project that is being activated all across Ontario. The Ontario government has invested $100,000 to get the program running in Thunder Bay by January 2008. The centre will have a service area stretching from the Manitoba border to Sudbury.

Victoriaville is doing better. It's still mostly government and Nishnawbe administration stuff, but it seems to be rebounding.

[Danny D]

yay!

http://www.freewebs.com/clannoscope/city.jpg

[vid]

We need a source. :)

I tried to get a picture from Chronicle Journal but they didn't upload one to the website. Did you go to the open house last night?

[Danny D]

yea i did. i talked to city council and the mayor. they are all for the idea and already have some interested clients wanting to develop the condos/hotel. i also have some pictures i have to scan onto my computer when i get home.

[vid]

:tup:

[ExcaliburKid]

Is that really a cruise ship dock in the plan?? Are we talking leisurely lake cruises, or big-ass floating hotels?

[vid]

LOL

Leisurely lake cruises. :P Those big boats can't get past the Soo Locks. They're too fat. Those boats hold, at most, 400 people.

[ExcaliburKid]

Haha ok, thats kinda what I was thinking. Good for T-Bay, I have somewhat good memories of that lake front, should look really amazing once approved :tup:

[vid]

The housing starts numbers for February have been released by the Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation, and the number is 'one'. (http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=93361)

:tup:

Waterfront plan is talk of the town
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 3/8/2007 7:49:39 PM
http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=93368

Its generating a lot of interest. The public is finally getting to see a concrete plan for one of the city's most marketable but undeveloped features — its Lake Superior water frontage.

The waterfront committee's grand unveiling of their draft master plan for the city's waterfront took place to a packed Community Auditorium Wednesday night.

Over 2,000 people watched and listened as the waterfront development committee and the designer of the plan, gave a detailed description of the vision. While some residents enjoyed many aspects of the $100 million plan, others felt that it just wasn't suitable for Thunder Bay.

Many community members appear optimistic about the $100 million vision, but others question where the dollars will be coming from. The committee responsible for the plan says only a small percentage of that total will be paid for by city residents. Two 54-unit condos, a hotel and a new marina, two public piers, a market square and waterfront plaza, a skating pond and expanded festival space are some of the elements of the scheme.

Thunder Bay residents had a second opportunity Thursday to take a detailed look at the draft of what is called Prince Arthur's Landing at Marina Park. Residents packed an open house held at the CN Station at the Marina Thursday looking at developments expected for the 400 metre stretch of land right outside the building, stretching from Red River Road to Pearl Street.

Many people are quite satisfied with what could be in store for the park, others questioned where the money to pay for such a grand plan is coming from. Waterfront Development committee chair Mark Bentz says funding from the city has already been set aside in previous budgets, so the city doesn't have to tax extra for the plan.

Thunder Bay residents will have their final opportunity to voice any concerns or provide input on the Prince Arthur's Landing at Marina Park plan at a deputation session March 22 at City Hall. It will come just days before the committee requests council's approval on the master plan.

Haha, I have to go to City Hall on the 22nd for some legal bull with my landlord. If I can fix my camera by then I will "file a report". :)

[Danny D]

Im glad its going to actually be approved. half of city council is on the development committee so its not even a matter of getting it approved. its just getting the investors to start developing the condos(which might be hard) but the hotel has interested buyers already. This town is full of backwards hicks that dont agree with change... i remember talking to one guy yesterday at the open house who said. "Why cant you build all of the buildings 2 stories high and out of wood" The consultant from bmi|pace almost broke into laughter. :p poor girl had to listen to these types of complaints all day.

[vid]

There is already speculation on the real estate in DTPA. According to Source


""Why cant you build all of the buildings 2 stories high and out of wood""

:haha: I should replace my blasphemy of Robert Service with that! :tup: Dumbass here doesn't realise that we can build more than two storeys high. And he also doesn't realise how fucking taxing sprawl is on a declining city. We can put wood on the façade, have it in the interior, like they did with the hospital. (Which people also hate because "It looks like it's covered in scaffolding!/I don't like Yellow!/Why is it in a swamp??/Three floors is too tall!!/I hate windows!")

As far as I can tell by the Source article they might look something like this:

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/8562/1001923bh4.jpg

But nicer, and with a set back on one side.

Also, the article said they're all 6 storeys, and there will be 108 condo units, a bit much, but if people move back downtown it could work.

[vid]

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/1192/waterfrontrenderingan4.png

More here: http://tbaydevelopments.googlepages.com/home including an updated list of all current developments in Thunder Bay

[Danny D]

I heard that they could reach up to 8 stories as long as they arent taller than the government building. which wouldnt be bad. it would still give us some much needed density.

[vid]

Why can't they pass the Government Building? I thought the limit was based on the Hydro Building?

Which is also a Government Building. Every building in this city is a Government Building. :rolleyes:

How tall is it anyway? It can't be any taller than PUC or Prince Arthur. I think it's about equal with Prince Arthur.

[Danny D]

They have 25ish meters to work with. so they could fit up to 8 stories.

Government of Ontario building is 28meters tall from the street below i think it said in a diagram. They want to preserve sight from the hills above so they dont want the buildings to be like 15stories xD also the light level has to be somewhat high according to the masterplan (one reason for the building setbacks)

And can you believe it! Thunder Bay has grown xD we gained what 100 people in the city center and 1000 in the metro area! lol we are now the third smallest metro in population in Canada!

[vid]

I know! :D I was surprised when I saw it this morning. 124 new people! Go us!!

Shuniah grew by 20%.

[CCF]

North Bay is hockeyville!

[softee]

Hah! Yeah, even though in reality North Bay is not much of a "hockeytown" at all. We lost our OHL team due to lack of attendance, and our local leagues have a hard time staying afloat and don't seem to produce high caliber players. The amount of professional level hockey talent that comes out of North Bay is nothing compared to most other towns and cities in Northern Ontario. But $50,000 to fix up a local arena is definitely good news for NB.

[CCF]

I've heard that North Bay has a very likely possibility to get its OHL team back.

[vid]

Half the famous people out of Thunder Bay are NHL players. :P But congrats North Bay.

Thunder Bay doesn't have an OHL team because we are too far away from Ontario. :koko: And yes, that is the real reason.

[softee]

Construction begins on North Bay Regional Health Centre project

NORTH BAY, ON - Construction started today at the new 388-bed North Bay Regional Health Centre to provide residents from North Bay and surrounding communities with improved access to quality health care, announced George Smitherman (shown), Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, at a groundbreaking ceremony with Nipissing MPP Monique Smith.

"The construction of the North Bay Regional Health Centre is important to everyone in the region and I'm so proud to see construction underway," said MPP Monique Smith.

"We are proud that our hospital will be a state-of-the-art facility that will continue to play a vital role in providing health care and treatment to the residents of our region."

"I'm pleased to join my colleague Monique Smith to put the first shovels in the ground as we launch construction to modernize the North Bay hospital to bring even greater access to health care for local residents," said Smitherman.

Smitherman joined Smith, North Bay General Hospital and Northeast Mental Health Centre officials and representatives from Plenary Health to officially launch the construction project.

Plenary Health was selected as the preferred team to build, finance and maintain the North Bay Regional Health Centre.

Construction is expected to be completed in 2010.

As a three-storey general hospital, the new North Bay Regional Health Centre's redevelopment project will be significantly larger and equipped to offer more services than the present two-site operation.

It will also include the new Northeast Mental Health Centre, a two-storey facility that will recreate a home-like, village environment.

Services at the new hospital will include:

- A larger emergency department with 32 treatment beds;

- A consolidated ambulatory care centre;

- Capacity for up to 275 acute care, complex continuing care, rehabilitation and acute mental health beds.

The new Northeast Mental Health Centre, which will be linked to the general hospital, will have capacity for up to 113 specialized mental health beds and serve all of northeast Ontario.

"I would like to thank our hospital staff, volunteers, fundraisers and the community for their generous donations and support for this project," said Mark Hurst, North Bay General Hospital President and CEO.

"This truly is a celebration for us. We are looking forward to this project being completed and our one-site hospital being available for all members of our community."

Plenary Health will be paid $551 million in today's dollars over 30 years to build, finance and maintain the new 720,000 square foot facility.

Just over half of that represents the pure construction cost.

During the three-year construction period, the project will employ an average of 200 workers on site daily.

Infrastructure Ontario will work with the North Bay General Hospital and the Northeast Mental Health Centre to manage the construction of the North Bay Regional Health Centre, which will remain publicly owned, publicly controlled and publicly accountable.

Infrastructure Ontario is a Crown corporation dedicated to managing some of the Province's larger and more complex infrastructure renewal projects - ensuring they are built on time and on budget.

The project is guided by principles outlined in the Province's Building a Better Tomorrow framework, which ensures public ownership of core assets such as hospitals, schools and water and wastewater facilities.

The North Bay Regional Health Centre project is one of many infrastructure projects being constructed, upgraded and modernized under ReNew Ontario, the government's five-year, $30-billion plus public infrastructure investment plan.

Backgrounder

The North Bay Regional Health Centre is a partnership between the North Bay General Hospital and the Northeast Mental Health Centre.

For the first time in Canada, an acute hospital and a specialized mental health centre will co-locate on the same site.

The North Bay General Hospital (NBGH) and its predecessors have served the families of North Bay and the surrounding area for over 100 years.

The North Bay General Hospital is a district referral centre serving the districts of Nipissing and Temiscaming.

NBGH's Emergency Department and outpatient clinics serve more than 40,000 patients every year. Specialist services such as orthopedics, neonatal intensive care, paediatrics, ophthalmology, obstetrics/gynaecology, urology, ENT (ear, nose and throat) and general surgery are provided for patients from throughout the entire district served.

The Northeast Mental Health Centre (NEMHC) is a specialized mental health centre that provides service to people throughout the region of northeast Ontario suffering from severe and persistent mental illness.

Based on a recovery approach, NEMHC works with other service providers and patients and their families in the design and implementation of care.

Programs include specialized adult mental health, senior's mental health, forensic psychiatry, outreach programs and a regional children's psychiatric service.

As a three-storey general hospital, the new NBGH's redevelopment will be significantly larger and equipped to offer more services than the present two-site operation.

The Northeast Mental Health Centre has been designed as a
two-storey facility that will provide a best-practice approach to care in a home-like, village environment.

One of the largest public sector projects in the region's history, the NBRHC will total 720,000 square feet of new construction on an 80-acre site.

The New North Bay General Hospital includes:

- A larger emergency department with 32 treatment beds to accommodate more than 57,000 patients per year;

- A new consolidated ambulatory care centre to accommodate more than 63,000 patient visits per year;

The hospital's 275 acute care beds include:

- A 40-bed mental health unit relocated from the Northeast Mental Health Centre;

- An increased bed capacity in the Critical Care Unit (from 10 to 16 beds), in the Complex Continuing Care Unit (from 10 to 42 beds), and in the Rehabilitation Care unit (from 10 to 29 beds).

The New Northeast Mental Health Centre

The new Northeast Mental Health Centre will be linked to the general hospital via a shared entrance and several shared common areas.

It will serve the whole of northeast Ontario, and accommodate:

- 52 forensic psychiatry beds;

- 61 specialized mental health beds;

- A client services mall, gymnasium, workshops, psychiatric offices, clinical and administrative spaces;

- Outreach services.

Design features provide a healing atmosphere throughout the facility with lots of natural light provided by windows that overlook the natural environmental setting of the 80-acre site.

The North Bay Regional Health Centre will have a total of 388 beds.

Over North Bay Regional Health Centre's three-year construction period, there will be an average of 200 workers on site daily.

[softee]

Here's a pic from today of the new North Bay transit terminal, it should be complete within the next couple of weeks.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/March28th2007007resized.jpg

[softee]

Here's an update for the Holiday Inn project from today. I took this pic from a big hill in Thompson Park. That's midday traffic on the Trans Canada highway with the new hotel in the background behind all those wires and poles! Soon another large new hotel will start to rise beside this one.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/March29th2007015resized.jpg

[vid]

Prince Arthur's Landing was officially approved. :) Work starts in May.

[softee]

I Found this in the Northern Busniness Journal:

Real estate markets strong

By Liz Cowan

A regional in-migration trend in most Northern Ontario cities is putting some pressure on vacancy rates and boosting housing sales.

“A trend we have been tracking in most of our Northern Ontario cities is the trend towards in-migration,” said Warren Philp, Northern Ontario market analyst with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Thunder Bay office.

“They are coming from the area around the bigger centres. When I look at the demographic numbers of 2001 and 2006, there is a bit of a turnaround and most of the areas where there are major centres are showing some improvement,” he said.

“I maintain that the movement is within the region and not so much people from Toronto or Western Canada or Quebec flocking into Northern Ontario.”

Real estate markets in the major Northeastern markets have been strong the past two years and this year is expected to be no different.

“You are looking at a record number of sales in a few of our markets,” Philp said.

In Greater Sudbury, the MLS (Multiple Listing System) residential activity reported sales last year of 2,615, up 0.8 from 2005. The average price of a home rose from $134,440 to $150,341.

Al Fex, president of the Sudbury Real Estate Board, said 2006 was a great year.

“The agents are very, very busy,” he said. “There’s a demand for homes in the higher range and strong demand for a home in New Sudbury. In fact, a house and a garage are hard to get right now.”

Fex said it’s a seller’s market right now which does make it tougher on buyers.

“But we did have a long, dry spell. In many cases people are selling their last homes and they are getting the price they should since it has been an investment for them,” Fex said.

The real estate market is a result of a strong economy in the city, he said.

“The papers are full of job postings, the medical school has had an impact and the mining industry is hiring. It’s encouraging for people to live here. Sudbury is a draw for others from Northern Ontario or for others who went south and want to come back,” Fex said.

North Bay has experienced a strong growth in sales and Philp said the number of listings also increased.

“It could be that more folks are recognizing how strong the market is and they are selling to move up or build,” he said.

“North Bay still has the highest average price in Northern Ontario and the market has held up the best over time. There is a lack of reliance on resources and commodities and the economy is more stable and diversified.”

The average price of a home in the city last year was $160,106, up from $146,066 in 2005. Sales for 2006 were 1,446, up 10 per cent from the previous year which posted 1,316 sales.

Dave Wylie, president of the North Bay Real Estate Board, said 2005 and 2006 were banner years.

“At this time year to date (end of February), our sales are up,” he said.

One of the biggest problems in North Bay, he said, is the high cost of building.

“The new homes coming onto the market are either semi custom or custom built and over $300,000. The market isn’t developing affordable new homes. First-time home buyers are getting 40-year-old homes for $160,00 to $165,000,” Wylie said.

In-migration has been a part of Sault Ste. Marie’s strong real estate activity, Philp said.

“There is stability at Algoma Steel, increased diversification of the economy in retail, tourism and call centre side and there has been a lot of positive things happening the past few years,” he said.

“There is more confidence and people have been more active in the housing market to sell, move up or build.”

The average house price in the Sault last year was $101,882 compared to $96,303 in 2005. There were 1,404 sales recorded in 2006 and 1,292 in 2005.

Wayne Spencer, president of the Sault Ste. Marie Real Estate Board, said the market has been increasing at a steady pace over the past few years.

“We did have dry run for awhile but it started to take off. It’s a real turnaround,” he said.

Every type of home is in demand and he doesn’t see the trend changing for 2007.

“We are still the best buy in Northern Ontario for all the big centres as far as Sudbury and North Bay are concerned,” Spencer said.

In Timmins, 2006 statistics indicate a slight drop in population but the local real estate board set a record for sales in 2006. The board takes in an area that stretches from Temiskaming Shores to James Bay.

“The average price is still strong,” Philp said. “It’s a pretty tight, strong and buoyant market.”

In 2006, the average price of a home was $96,736 and there were 1,101 sales. In 2005, the price was $88,224 with 972 sales.

“We have a fair number of people coming into the community, that we are experiencing, and the Victor Project (diamond mine in Attawapiskat) has a big impact and all of mining in general,” said Roberta Toner, president of the Timmins Real Estate Board.

She said areas such as Temiskaming Shores and Kirkland Lake are also doing well with their real estate markets.

“Timmins isn’t like other communities when it comes to real estate,” she said.

“We don’t go through the extreme highs and lows but rather drop a bit or go up a bit. There are no real spikes and that is better for both the buyer and seller.”

“But we have been on the up over the past four years.”

Vacancy rates have also gone down across the Northeast in all major centres and in most towns.

In 2006, Sault Ste. Marie fell from 3.3 per cent to one per cent. Sudbury’s rate was 1.2 per cent last year and North Bay was at 2.4 per cent. Timmins was at 3.8 per cent.

Philp said the prime renting age group is between 18 to 30.

“When you look at what is happening to employment in that age group, it’s a clue to what is happening in the rental side,” he said.

Other factors affecting vacancy rates are post secondary institutions and retirees moving and choosing to rent instead of buying.

[softee]

From the North Bay Nugget:

Transit terminal rolling to completion; Officials also taking 'big step' by changing routes

Rob Farnholz
Local News - Wednesday, April 11, 2007 @ 08:00

North Bay Transit is getting a facelift it can't wait to show off.

After several months of construction, the new $3.2-million transit terminal is set to open later this month or in early May.

The new terminal will house the transit's head office and boasts a coffee shop, concession stand, ATM machine, customer-service window and public washrooms. Bus passes will also be available for purchase.

"It's very important for the people to have access to our staff if they want to make an inquiry," said acting transit manager Dorothy Carvell. "With our offices so close, they don't have to go far."

Security has also improved and Carvell said she is confident riders will feel safe.

"We'll have state-of-the-art security," she said.
"Cameras will be inside and out, and it will even have glass break motion sensors. With customers being able to wait inside in the lit area, they can feel safer than being alone outside in the dark."

Finishing touches continue to the interior of the facility.

Along with the new terminal, bus schedules are being revamped in an effort to better accommodate passengers. Transit officials have tweaked routes after getting input from drivers and passengers.

"This is a big step," Carvell said. "It's been years since the routes have changed, but traffic has grown and North Bay has grown and we have to grow and change with it."

She said routes have been redesigned while maintaining the ser-vices and territory the buses cover.

Transit will move toward giving drivers 45 minutes to complete routes instead of the current 30 minutes. The college run, for example, will leave the terminal on the hour and half hour, and return 45 minutes later. Some routes will be changed, like Marshall, which will depart at a quarter after and a quarter to the hour.

Other changes include combining the Ski Club and Chippewa buses.

"That's the biggest change," Carvell said of the combined routes. "Instead of going out to the mall, coming back to the terminal, then going out to Ski Club and such, both will be combined into one 45-minute route, but we will cover all the same territory."

Other routes like Graniteville and Birchaven will cover a greater area by circling in routes rather than going in a straight stretch and back.

"It will be a change for sure," Carvell said. "But we've left enough familiar so it won't be a major change."

The schedule is expected to change June 3 after all drivers are trained on the new routes. New schedules are being printed and should be available to the public by the end of April.

"We believe that we've thought of everything and just need to market it out to the public," Carvell said. "It's important the public realizes that these will still be fairly new routes for the drivers and we ask for their patience."

[vid]

Sounds like what we have. From this point on, it will take 75 minutes to get across town! ;)

One thing to look out for though, is the longer bus rides resulting in people not wanting to take the bus as much. Unless there is an interlining program and buses running in either direction on the same route it could be risky, that's what led to the downfall of routes 16 and 5 up here.

[fengshui]

In the Winnipeg Free Press today.

Kenora council to weigh condos on waterfront
Winnipegger proposes multi-storey plan


A Winnipeg businessman wants to build a six- to eight-storey condominium development on the Kenora waterfront. Morris Chia, president and CEO of Travel Professionals International, the country's largest network of home-based travel agents, has submitted his building plan to the city's planning department.

Kenora Mayor Len Compton said Chia's condominium proposal still hasn't been before city council. Compton said the proposed building on Lake of the Woods won't get an automatic green light. To gain approval, Chia would have to convince council to vary its height restriction on downtown buildings -- currently at 10 metres.

"We want to get together with Mr. Chia in camera," Compton said. "We're pretty optimistic we can work out something to our mutual benefit." Compton said Chia's property is at the end of Water Street, where Wharf Marine is now, just past the Ontario Provincial Police station and the community's courthouse. Chia could not be reached for comment at his Winnipeg office.

Thelma Wilkins-Page, president of the Kenora and District Chamber of Commerce, said the organization has come out publicly supporting the project. "We want to clearly communicate we're open for business," Wilkins-Page said.
"We think this will be the shot in the arm the community needs." Wilkins-Page said from what they have seen the condos are high-end ones which would attract people who might be willing to invest in Kenora, as well as offer a place for long-time area cottage owners to retire.

"We want the mayor and council to look very seriously at this proposal because we feel it has great value for the city," she said. Meanwhile, Compton said they're looking for funding from other levels of government to help pay for a $9.3-million downtown revitalization project. Compton said most of the money will be used to tear out antiquated sewer and water lines downtown -- some 100 years old -- but it will also include paying for a traffic roundabout for motorists coming to the community from the west and for a new vehicle entrance into the harbourfront.

But Compton said they're also looking at enhancing the downtown to dovetail with its ongoing branding process.
Compton said a final decision hasn't been made, but if, for example, the city decided to brand itself The Frontier Village, it could look at stripping off modern facades from its century-old buildings. "This was a frontier town in the 1900s and a lot of the Main Street buildings are still here," he said. Compton said the $9.3 million is for Phase 1 of an expected $14- to $15-million project.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca

[vid]

Condos in Kenora have been on and off for a decade. Fort Francis has a similar plan and it will pop up every once in a while then die down for a few years. Kenora is growing though, so it might work this time. Here's hoping. :)

This sounds like a different developer than the last one and he seems to have more experience. Throw in the 6 story hotel downtown and the 11 storey Holiday Inn down the lake and Kenora will have quite the skyline for only 15,000 people.

[vid]

I guess I can use this bump to announce that the 100$ million dollar phase one of Prince Arthur's Landing starts this week.. LU still hasn't confirmed it's School of Law and the minor bouts of well spread gentrification continue with little changing results (empty, but pretty, buildings.)

Building permits are up 75% from this time last year, and housing starts are up 75% as well. Thunder Centre is almost finished. Chippewa Park has asked for an additional 15,000% for it's redevelopment project, and Shuniah's wind farms have been approved and will be running in a couple years. :)

[softee]

^ Good news, North Bay is also forecasting a very busy construction season this year.

I just noticed today that a white tower crane is up at the new Hospital site. I'll post a pic when I get one.

[softee]

Here's a little photo update for North Bay.

The tower crane at the Hospital site taken through the window of a NB transit bus in the rain.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/May10th2007002resized.jpg

The city's oldest high-school located just outside the downtown is undergoing a major expansion.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/May10th2007013resized.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/May10th2007012resized.jpg

Here are some pics of the newly completed transit terminal project!
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/May8th2007016resized.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/May8th2007014resized.jpg

[vid]

OMG Paving stones!

Our "new" terminals just got plain white concrete. *emails images to Transit division*

[vid]

Nothing better to do, so I made a map of where things are being built or are going to be built in Thunder Bay. Locations are approximate. Click here (http://tbaydevelopments.googlepages.com/listofdevelopments) to see what the numbers correspond to.

Port Arthur
http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/7712/devpaxc2.jpg

Intercity
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/7909/devicic5.jpg

Fort William
http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/8291/devfwlw5.jpg

-

Major May Street Reconstruction Project Underway

May 17, 2007 – Spring has arrived and with it comes the beginning of construction projects. Work is now underway on one of this season’s major projects that will see extensive upgrades to the infrastructure along May Street from Ridgeway Street to Miles Street.

Preliminary designs for the project were first presented to area businesses at an Open House in the fall of 2006. Since that time property owners, South Core Liaison staff and City staff have been reviewing projects designs and plans.

This one of a kind, $2.5 million dollar project has begun with the closure of May Street from Victoria Avenue to Miles Street earlier this month. Work is underway in this location to replace underground infrastructure originally put in place in the early 1900s. Sanitary sewers, storm sewers, watermains and fire hydrants are all slated for replacement.

Additional project plans include street scaping initiatives to enhance the décor of the south core business area including concrete sidewalks with decorate paving borders and landscaping work that includes boulevard trees and tree pits. Decorative street lighting plans call for the installation of fixtures on both sides of the street to improve illumination in the downtown core. Underground duct and wiring and a rebuild of the traffic signal installation at four intersections will also be completed by the end of the project.

Work is being staged one block at a time. As work proceeds May Street will only be closed to through traffic for one block at a time. To limit any disruption to shoppers, restaurant goers and residents in the area, free parking (two hour restrictions) is provided at city meters within adjacent blocks of May Street, on Violet Street, George Street and Donald Street east of May Street. “We are open for business,” said James Hupka, Chairperson, Victoria Avenue BIA, “the welcome mat is out!”

Visit the Fort William Neighbourhoods’ new site www.thunderbay.ca/fortwilliamneighbourhood to view photos of the project to date and learn more exciting activity in the south core. Watch for month updates on the project.

[1ajs]

wow vid you sure went to town on those maps there lol would think it was booming like calgary :P

[vid]

If Calgary included gas stations and corner stores like I did they'd be into the tousands. :P I barely cracked 70.

[1ajs]

If Calgary included gas stations and corner stores like I did they'd be into the tousands. :P I barely cracked 70.


i know thats why i said that :P

[vid]

Uh kay.... The flying J truck stop announce their third site plan since 2004, it will require trucks to pull off the highway, onto Oliver road, then on to Burwood road, then into the station, and they would exit the same way. People are opposed to it because this thing is literally being built in a residential area. I want to see a flying J built (this city needs one, with the one on Dawson Road shut down, trucks are now going into the city and sitting at tim hortonses and walmart) but not there. It should be located at the corner of the Thunder Bay expressway and the Shabaqua Highway.

Speaking of which, the Shabaqua Highway just finished it's first layer of paving. One more to go, then they paint the lines and open it up. I just got the new 2007 edition of Maparts Thunder Bay map, and it's included on there. It'll be open by the end of September.

Nipigon's multiply mill will not be rebuilt. The group that is fighting for it is looking for a company that will want to rebuilt, but it's unlikely they'll find one.

The new Marina Park Drive opens in about a week or so, they just finished paving and just have to add grass and touch up the sidewalks. The bandshell will be replaced in time for the Canada Day celebration and the Summer in the Parks series.


4/june

Demolition has begun on the south wind of McIntyre Mall, it will be replaced by an expanded Shoppers Drug Mart.

Expanding of Red River Road to five lanes began today and will be complete by mid September.

The Enterprise Rent a Car at the corner of Central and Memorial is complete. It only took about 3 months to build the thing. :P

[vid]

$87M water plant goes online
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 6/8/2007 5:17:31 PM
http://www.tbsource.com/localnews/index.asp?cid=96854

The taps were officially turned on at the city's new Bare Point Water Treatment Plant Friday.The mayor, members of parliament, city administration, and residents gathered for the grand opening ceremony to celebrate the completion of what many refer to as Thunder Bay's new state-of-the-art facility. The $87 million project will not only improve the city's drinking water, but will also help protect the world's largest fresh water lake.

After years of debate, hours upon hours in council chambers, and endless amounts of work Friday marked a 'monumental step' for the City of Thunder Bay. Since 2004, improvements to the Bare Point plant, which was originally constructed in 1903, have been taking place. Upgrades are in place that brings the plant to world status. Mayor Lynn Peterson says she has been waiting for this day for most of the decade.

Manager of Engineering Pat Mauro, says :banana: the new Zeeweed 1000 Version 3 Ultra-Filtration system :banana: , allows the city to use less chemicals during the treatment process so the water that will be pumped back into Lake Superior will be of better quality as well.

The improvements allow the plant to process more water per day. From 14 million gallons the production capacity now sits at 25 million gallons going through the treatment plant each day.

A majority of city residences will now be supplied with water from the Bare Point plant, however the Loch Lomond facility is still on-line, expected to be decommissioned at the end of the year.


With this new system, water will be going into Lake Superior cleaner than when it was taken out. :)

(Bananas added by me)

[Greco Roman]

Any news on those condos in Kenora?

[vid]

Not that I can find, no. It's a city of 15,000 so things move very slowly, I think their council only meets once a month or something like that.

Since my last update, Thunder Bay has landed a new youth detention centre, a fire training centre, Uncle Franks was scaled down and Days Inn North had it's grand opening -- 56 rooms with expansion options for 40 more in the future.

[softee]

Here's another blurry pic of the hospital site taken from the bus - only now the first tower crane has been joined by it's big brother!
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/June18th2007015resized.jpg

[vid]

Optimism in small business report
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 6/20/2007 8:31:02 PM (http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=97202)

Call it the report card from small business. The results of a city-wide study were released Wednesday showing how small businesses in Thunder Bay are thinking.Their overall business trade, the community and the economy were among topics discussed in Thunder Bay Ventures' latest Business Opinion Survey and both negative and positive results were posted.

Decreasing population, job layoffs and increasing minimum wage are just a few of the things some small businesses consider significant problems for their business. Thunder Bay Ventures sent out 700 letters and surveys last month to businesses which have 35 employees or less, for their 10th annual city survey. About 130 businesses responded, with their positive or negative opinions, attitudes, comments and suggestions. Thunder Bay Ventures manager Royden Potvin says the results show more optimism than pessimism.

''I think overall, we see a positive trend, it looks like many indicators are indicating that small business think that our economy, in fact, has bottomed out. And there is a glimmer of optimism in the future in this economy. And that ranges from what they see as the sectors that are positive in the future, to their own hiring, and levels of employment within their own business.''

The survey included questions about each operation, Thunder Bay's business climate, and community projects. And under the growth potential heading, Potvin says they separated the primary industry into separate forest and mining sectors this year which he says showed surprising results.

''It looks like small businesses have counted in all the impacts of the layoffs of the forest industry, and the fact that there might not be a significant industry in the future, where they say that the mining industry can be a very important economic driver in our community in the future. So, that's a bit of a surprise to us.''

Businesses identified some of the problems facing them in the past year and at the top of the list are gasoline and fuel oil rates, electricity rates and declining sales. On the other hand, results show some issues are becoming more positive which survey consultant David Smith says is good, but still has room for improvement.

''Some of the trends with regard to economic expectation, hiring expectations, how they feel about the casino, items like that, certainly show a positive trend compared with the last two years.''

Now that the small businesses have given their thoughts and opinions...Potvin says it's up to the community to do something with it. He says they present the data, and hope community leaders take the initiative to address the issues and find solutions to the problems.

Lakehead board gets $26.6 million for new high school
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 6/22/2007 5:59:58 PM (http://www.tbsource.com/localnews/index.asp?cid=97259)


Thunder Bay is getting $26.6 million to build a new high school to house students from the soon-to-be-closed Hillcrest High School and Port Arthur Collegiate Institute.

The provincial government on Friday made the announcement, to the delight of Lakehead District School Board chairman Ron Oikonen.

“We’re pleased that the Ministry of Education is working with us to meet the needs of these two school communities,” Oikonen said in a release issued by two local MPPs. “This is certainly one very large step in the pathway to meet the needs of our current and future students.”

Thunder Bay-Superior North Liberal MPP Michael Gravelle said the investment will benefit the city for generations to come.

“Once completed, this state-of-the-art facility will give our students the safe and healthy school environment they deserve, while also serving to enhance programming and the value of their educational experience. In addition, the new facility will serve as an important community hub, and its construction will benefit Thunder Bay economically,” Gravelle said.

Fellow MPP Bill Mauro said the new school is needed for secondary education to take the next step in Thunder Bay.

“The ability of our school administrators and local trustees to offer appropriate and comprehensive programming to students will be significantly enhanced by this announcement,” the Thunder Bay-Atikokan Liberal representative said.

“Broad-based programming options are key to providing our students with as much opportunity as possible to succeed in today’s competitive environment.”

The school board has not yet announced the exact location of the unnamed new school, but on Thursday it was learned that Lakehead University had once again put a land swap offer on the table to the board.

The deal would see 16.5 acres of university property, located on the southeast corner of the campus, transferred to the board in exchange for PACI.

The parcel of land the school may be built on is not near restaurants, it is not near many homes, it is not pedestrian friendly at all, it is not on a bus route. The LU property is really the last place a school should be built. :/ Thankfully, I'm out of school now. Going to a school located down there would be a pain in the ass.

Signs of life for PACI
By Sarah Elizabeth Brown | Thursday, June 21, 2007 (http://www.chroniclejournal.com/stories.php?id=50161)

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/421/50161oi3.jpg
Lakehead University president Fred Gilbert sits outside PACI on Thursday.

Port Arthur Collegiate Institute may continue on as a school, but for university students.
Lakehead University and the Lakehead District School Board are in discussions to swap the venerable high school for a 16-acre piece of land on the university‘s southeast corner, close to Riverside Drive (http://maps.google.ca/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=&ll=48.4137,-89.267306&spn=0.00381,0.010772&t=k&z=17&om=0).
The university is eyeing the stately, nearly 100-year-old building to house its “considerably” cramped education faculty, fine arts program or possibly a new law school.
The public school board is closing the high school at the end of this school year.
In return, the university land could be home to a high school, among other possible uses, director of education Terry Ellwood said Thursday.
The education faculty has run out of space for offices and classrooms in the Bora Laskin Building, said university president Fred Gilbert.
The entire education faculty would not likely move to PACI, but some parts of the professional, one-year teaching program might move downtown, though that‘s up to the faculty, said Gilbert.
Visual arts and music departments have said they‘re interested in PACI, and athletics could use the high school‘s gym.
“If the law school comes to fruition, that would be a lovely place for it,” he added.
So far the offer is on the table and discussions are in the early stages, Gilbert said.
“We think that it‘s a nice opportunity to ensure that PACI is a good, productive piece of property in a key part of the city,” he said. “Beautiful building too – it would be a shame to see it become derelict.”
Lakehead University Student Union president Richard Longtin said PACI has always looked like a law school should.
Added Ellwood: “All you‘ve got to do is get a little more ivy growing up the walls.”

Unlike a proposed three-way land swap involving the board, university and Thunder Bay Country Club that died in February 2006 after city council refused a rezoning request needed to make the deal happen, the Lakehead University Student Union is cautiously optimistic about the latest idea.
The school board was looking to build a high school with a capacity of about 1,100 students, approximately the same size or smaller than its current high schools.
Gilbert notified the student union about the discussions a week ago, said Longtin.
“Obviously with the result of the last situation, I wouldn‘t imagine that they would be so secretive this time around, that they would try to get students on board from the very beginning,” Longtin said.
Some university students and residents loudly opposed the previous three-party swap because the land in question was next to student residences and included the McIntyre River, causing environmental concerns and fears students‘ outdoor laboratory would be destroyed. Aboriginal students‘ sweat lodge was also on the land in question.
Those aren‘t concerns with the latest plan, said Longtin.
He and Gilbert describe the 16 acres under discussion as unused scrub. The property doesn‘t include wetlands or streams.
As well, said Longtin, the concern that university students housed at PACI would be cut off from the main campus isn‘t as acute since a cheap bus pass for all university students has been approved by the city.
There will be in-camera discussions when property details come up, but the public should know discussions have started, said Ellwood.
“We certainly recognize that . . . we need to be transparent with our school and Lakehead U communities,” he said. “It‘s about making sure people know where we‘re going.”
The 16-acre property is zoned major institutional, so re-zoning would be unnecessary, said Ellwood.
The board still has to satisfy questions about services like sewer and water.
“From our perspective, this piece of property is something that could be for future use, including the possibility of a new high school,” he said. “It could include other things as well.
“If we go ahead with a new high school, this is one of the locations that we would be looking at.”
This land-swap proposal is preferable because it doesn‘t involve land that students use, said Longtin.
The only reservation for the student union is putting a high school so close to university residences, he said. Having young teens mixing with university-age students and more people near the university student residences were two concerns in early 2006.
But there are many positives this time around, he said, from more space for cramped faculties to more people downtown spending money in local businesses.

I have been saying all along that the PACI building would be a wonderful addition to LU, and the gym could have a second use as a community centre as well.

[softee]

Here are a couple of new pics of the nearly completed Holiday Inn suites project in North Bay. Now I'm looking forward for construction to start on the adjacent 83 unit "Staybridge Inn" Suites Hotel, it will be directly beside the Holiday Inn and will be 5 or 6 storeys tall.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/June19th2007002resized.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/Softee2/June19th2007003resized.jpg

[vid]

New mill offers stability to Atikokan
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 6/27/2007 5:46:55 PM (http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=97408)

There is a new sense of optimism in the community of Atikokan with the provincial announcement of a wood allocation for a new value-added mill in the community.

There is no doubt that this is a big deal for Atikokan. Mayor Dennis Brown says it is the most uplifting news for the community in years.

After months of waiting, MPP Bill Mauro was in the community to make it official this week. Superior Laminated Lumber was the successful proponent for the White birch wood supply in the area. Mauro says this proposal was selected for a number of reasons but chief among them was that their plan would utilize the entire log.

For Mike Shusterman, the official announcement was surreal, the idea of a laminated veneer lumber facility in the northwest is one he has worked on since 1999. There were many peaks and valleys he says but after getting the wood supply, anything's possible.

It is expected that construction could begin next spring on the new mill meaning roughly 200 construction jobs alone. And with the site being adjacent to Fibratech, there will be plenty of synergies between the two companies.

This announcement is expected to significantly stabilize the economy of Atikokan adding vigor to the tax base and becoming one of the community's largest employers with roughly 180 new jobs when it opens.

Good news for Atikokan. :)

[vid]

Kids on the move following closure of 3 schools
By Sarah Elizabeth Brown | Tuesday, July 3, 2007 (http://www.chroniclejournal.com/stories.php?id=51955)

The Lakehead District School Board‘s newest elementary school has 110 more students than projected, and is nearing its capacity before opening in September.
The majority are coming from the growing neighbourhood around Woodcrest School, said superintendent of education Sherri-Lynne Pharand.
However, some school council chairwomen suggest predictions are off as a result of parents opting to drive their kids to out-of-zone schools.
Each school has a catchment area, and students living within that zone are expected to attend that school. However, if there is room, students can go to any other school provided their families provide transportation.
Woodcrest, with a capacity of 469, has 441 students registered so far.
It was projected to have 329 by now, but with more building in the neighbourhood north of the Expressway than expected, registrations have climbed, including some from the Catholic board, Pharand said Tuesday.
At this point, the board has to be cautious about accepting more out-of-zone registrants, Pharand told trustees at their last board meeting June 26.
The board closed three elementary schools in the north end – Balsam Street, Sir John A. Macdonald and Forest Park – in June. Students from those schools who live north of the Expressway are zoned for Woodcrest, while those living south of the expressway are zoned for C.D. Howe, Vance Chapman and Algonquin, respectively.
However, school council chairwoman Sheila Stewart said Balsam kids are headed to seven different schools.
Sir John A. Macdonald kids are headed to at least six.
Pharand said some students who live south of the Expressway have opted to go outside their zone to Woodcrest in order to attend school with their friends.
Woodcrest‘s day-care, which provides child care up to age 12, has attracted others.
Exact numbers, and where they‘re coming from, won‘t be really known until September, Pharand said.
South of the Expressway, some schools are close to projections while others “have transferred around a little.”
At C.D. Howe, 130 students are expected in September, “a huge drop” from the 180 or so who attended for 2006-07, said school council chairwoman Keri Maki.
Parents are concerned because every class from Grade 1 to Grade 6 is a split-level class, due largely to the province‘s requirement that primary classes be capped at 20 students, said Maki.
“A lot of the parental concern is that because we do have low numbers, that in another couple of years they‘re going to turn around and look at us” for closure due to low student numbers.
Pharand noted strong kindergarten numbers are a positive sign for that school‘s viability. Some of the older students have transferred elsewhere, she said.
C.D. Howe families were preparing for their school to close when it was taken off the list this past winter and switched from a junior kindergarten to Grade 8 school to a JK to Grade 6 facility.
The board kept the school open after receiving money from the province for a new day-care there.
But while C.D. Howe was on the chopping block, families at Balsam School were getting used to the idea that they were headed to Vance Chapman, said Stewart.
Even after C.D. Howe was kept open and the zones changed again, some families – about 30 kids – decided they‘re going to Vance Chapman anyway, Stewart said.
At the last meeting of the board committee that oversees integration of various closing schools into their new facilities, communications officer Bruce Nugent told trustees most calls he‘d received were from parents of current Balsam Street School students about transportation. The callers had said they would prefer that their kids go to Vance Chapman or Algonquin rather than C.D. Howe.
The problem, in some parents‘ eyes, is because C.D. Howe no longer has grades 7 and 8, it will split up some siblings as the older ones head off to Algonquin.
The board limited grades 7 and 8 to four north-end schools to create masses of students large enough to hire specialized teachers in math, science and art, as well as build science labs.
“It‘s just too much movement for families,” Maki said about students moving from C.D. Howe to Algonquin for two years and then on to high school.
While Maki said she knows of “just a handful” of C.D. Howe families who‘ve opted to drive their children to Algonquin school, Stewart said at Balsam it‘s a larger concern.
“There‘s even some with just one child who are saying, ’I want (kindergarten) to Grade 8.‘ They just don‘t want change and transition.‘‘
Stewart also suspects some families are driving to Woodcrest because it‘s a brand new school.
“It‘s a real opinion out there that for some reason, that K-6 is just not a good plan,” Stewart said. “It sounds too complicated to people.”
While she can‘t put a number to families bypassing C.D. Howe next year, Stewart said the feeling is “a very strong one” against splitting siblings and shuffling kids from C.D. Howe to Algonquin or Woodcrest, and then to high school in a matter of three years.
Maki and her husband considered moving their three children to Algonquin, though their younger children have opted to stay at C.D. Howe for now. In two years, all three will be in different schools.
Distance – Algonquin means crossing Red River Road and River Street – is also a concern for Balsam parents, said Stewart.
For some Balsam families, Vance Chapman is part of their community, while further-afield Algonquin isn‘t.
While Maki said she doesn‘t think it‘s a bad thing that the school board is trying to accommodate families‘ school choices, another part of her thinks if a plan for zoned schools was made, the board should stick with it.
“It just seems very muddled right now,” she said.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=&ll=48.452233,-89.284408&spn=0.007685,0.021544&t=k&z=16&om=0

The school is located just to the west of those two large buildings. A huge area there has been cleared out for the school and another subdivision. Everything that Google Earth shows in this areas is finished.

[vid]

Solar power project planned for city
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 7/5/2007 2:35:04 PM
http://www.tbsource.com/localnews/index.asp?cid=97662

A Toronto-based company has announced a significant energy investment in Thunder Bay that could create 50 construction jobs.

SkyPower Corporation has announced it is building a 10 megawatt solar project off Bowlker Road near Broadway Avenue (http://maps.google.ca/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=&ll=48.354281,-89.370368&spn=0.0077,0.015364&t=k&z=16&om=0) south of the airport. Thunder Bay Hydro will play a key role in the plans Hydro president Rob Mace said Thursday, citing many reasons why the city was a good choice for the park that is one of the first solar energy operations of its kind in Canada.

Thunder Bay Hydro will be SkyPower's distributor of the solar energy and under the Ontario Power Authority's standard offer agreement, Skypower has been given a 20 year power purchase agreement. Mayor Lynn Peterson says she is thrilled that Thunder Bay will be home to the solar farm.

The solar park will generate enough green renewable energy to displace 9,500 metric tonnes of carbon emissions annually within the region. It is expected to be up and running by the end of the year.

The city recently altered it's classification of industrial zones to make development of green energy more attractive. This won't be the last project of it's kind in the Lakehead city. :) Additionally, Thunder Bay is the sunniest city in Eastern Canada.

Rock the Fort wins national tourism award
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 7/5/2007 2:04:52 PM
http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=97657

As the annual Bluesfest gets set to begin in the city more honours have been heaped on another local outdoor festival, one that is in hiatus.

Officials from Fort William Historical Park were in Toronto earlier this week to receive a Ministry of Tourism Award for the 2006 version of its 'Rock the Fort' festival. The Discovery Award for Best Practices is based on the implementation of a creative concept that results in a positive impact for the ministry. The event drew about 45,000 patrons over three days, generating an estimated $3.5 million in economic activity for area businesses. Rock the Fort 2006 also was named the Best National Event of the Year by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada.

Fort officials made the decision to suspend the event in order to concentrate on repairs required to buildings at the historical park following last year's flood damage.

Aside from the Fort damage, (They built the damn thing in a flood plain (http://maps.google.ca/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=&ll=48.347494,-89.358115&spn=0.015402,0.030727&t=k&z=15&om=0)!) last year's festival had a problem with underage drinking. It was all ages but beer was sold openly and allowable throughout the entire site, they used coloured wrist bands to identify ages, but that resulted in older people buying beer for younger ones. They will likely use a beer garden next year.

Waterfront plan will attract investors
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 7/5/2007 8:25:18 PM
http://www.tbsource.com/localnews/index.asp?cid=97672

Pieces of the puzzle continue to fall into place for the new Waterfront Development Committee and the first concrete signs of activity will take place this summer.

Private investment is a key element of the plan and when its complete, Waterfront development committee chair, Mark Bentz says, it's going to be an extremely successful and profitable place for the private sector to have a stake in.

Since the grand unveiling of the master plan in March council has stood behind the vision and the implementation phase has begun at Marina Park. Just over 50 per cent of the $100 million Waterfront master plan price tag is expected to come from the private sector with the proposed hotel and two condominiums on the southside of Marina Park being privately owned.

Bentz says the private sector has been engaged in the plan since day one, and although no commitment has been made yet, he knows it will be there when the time comes.

Bentz says with landfill left to do and some zoning issues to take care of, he doesn't expect any construction of the buildings to occur for the next year.

Visually residents will be able to see parts of the plan come to life this summer with the skateboard plaza being built along with the overall expansion of the Marina.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=&ll=48.432675,-89.217267&spn=0.015376,0.030727&t=k&z=15&om=0

[vid]

Surge continues in housing starts
Tb News Source | Web Posted: 7/10/2007 1:35:50 PM
http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=97825

New home starts in the city continue a strong run as they are up for the third month in a row.

Canada Mortgage and Housing says there were 33 new single detached starts in Thunder Bay last month. That's more than double the 16 home starts recorded in June 2006. It also brings total starts for the year to 77, up from 46 at the same point last year, a 67 per cent increase.

Its an unexpected jump in home starts and analyst Warren Philp said Tuesday that the resale market is often not satisfying demand which may be driving the desire to build new homes. He says home starts all year have been above expected numbers and in his view a slumping resale market is the main factor for increase in starts. He says resale listings have fallen to levels not seen since 1989.

CMHC also says the number of building permits issued also indicate the strong performance is likely to continue. Eighty permits have been issued so far this year which is up from the 44 issued for the first six months of 2006.

:banana: