Building better amentities is key.

Improving infrastructure high on agenda, general manager says

The Parry Sound area isn't wading into the deep waters of any bidding wars to lure major manufacturers to town. The town and surrounding communities learned some valuable lessons in the early to mid-1980s when major industries like CIL and Rockwell International closed up shop throwing hundreds out of work, says Bill Spinney, general manager of the Parry Sound Area Community Business and Development Centre Inc.

Economic development officials would rather devote their energies to providing better amenities with a full range of services like providing natural gas connections to all areas near Parry Sound, making four-lane highway improvements, delivering fibre optic cable to all doorsteps and capitalizing on one of the best natural harbours on the Great Lakes. All while building up a a solid base of small manufacturers.

"I'm trying to concentrate on infrastructure rather than go chase smokestacks," says Spinney.

There is an emphasis, from the development board's strategic planning sessions to focus on infrastructure improvements such as providing a fully serviced industrial mall for commercial applications and light industry.

"We're not chasing a Honda plant, they're a shot in the dark," Spinney says. "Give me 10 little employers with 25 jobs, I'll take that any-day."

Economic development and an enhanced community profile also comes in the form of a $45-million provincial commitment towards the construction of the new West Parry Sound Health Centre.

With a total project cost of $53.1 million, the new Bowes Street hospital is expected to be operating by January 2003. Construction will start by December.

"Our hospital is one of the few in the province that operates in the black," says Spinney, who also serves on the hospital's board of directors.

"We want to build a centre of excellence in the health sector and with an aging population, the funds are available to move into high technologies."

Spinney also wants to extend natural gas servicing and fibre optic connections to all parts of Parry Sound, including properties tabbed for future industrial park expansion.

The municipality has been also working with Net Central in Sudbury and Bell to improve telecommunications links including replacing 20-year-old switching equipment to move information traffic in and out of town.

Transforming the town's waterfront from a working harbour to a people-friendly walkway is in the plans for a proposed $90-million facelift with condominiums, restaurants and resorts.

The municipality is negotiating with Shell and Imperial Oil, which pulled up stakes on its 20-acre waterfront tank farm a few years ago, to redevelop the brown field site into a mix of residential and light commercial properties.