September 28, 2011
New life for business
park?
by Denise Walker
Could it be boom times at last for the Laurentian Hills industrial park
in Chalk River?
For 20 years the park has made some money from pipeline and storage
fees from the gas company, but has failed to entice business to the
site.
However, council heard last week from Councillors Brenda Blimkie and
John Hoyle that the federal government shake up of Atomic Energy of
Canada Ltd may produce spin-off businesses for the industrial park.
Blimkie told council that Deep River economic development director,
John Walden, said that the possibility that the federal government may
opt for private management of the Chalk River site had sparked great
interest among suppliers and companies looking to bid for the job.
Walden said that the companies were also interested in spin-off
businesses that could be potential customers of the industrial park.
Next month, Walden will explore potential developments with Laurentian
Hills council.
Signs of this interest were clear earlier this month, when more than
150 suppliers to the nuclear industry met at Atomic Energy of Canada’s
Chalk River site.
The group, known as the Organization of Candu Industries (OCI) usually
meets in Mississauga. This year, they chose to meet at the Chalk River
site.
AECL also hosted a reception in Petawawa where community leaders and
local mayors met representatives from the industries.
Mayor Dick Rabishaw agreed that there were real opportunities for the
town.
He noted that SNC Lavalin had approached the previous council in
confidence about the potential of the industrial park.
Company officials were taken out to visit the site.
“They weren’t interested in buildings or anything like that,” said
Rabishaw, “they just wanted to make sure there was adequate space and
that the appropriate services could be put in.”
Rabishaw added that the company had not been willing to share the names
of companies that might locate in the industrial park, adding, “they
said that information was confidential.”
Rabishaw went on to explain that the town had worked with Renfrew
County to produce an engineering plan for the site, and had identified
hook-ups for water and on-site sewage disposal.
After talking to Walden, the town will look at what further work should
be done at the industrial park.
Rabishaw said, “we need to have a look at it, and see what work needs
to be done especially as the train lines will be removed.”
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