Callander grows selectively.The Town of Callander is discovering it has the best of both worlds. Situated as a bedroom community for nearby North Bay, and as a boating and fishing playground, the picturesque picturesque, term used in 18th-century England to refer to a landscape that looked as if it had come out of an academic painting. Used as derogatory criticism of such painting, the picturesque was considered pretty rather than beautiful. town of 3,100 hugging the southeast shore of Lake Nipissing Lake Nipissing (French: lac Nipissing) is a lake in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is km ( sq mi) in surface area, has a mean elevation of m ( ft) above sea level and is located between the Ottawa River and Georgian Bay. is best known for producing the Dionne Quintuplets The Dionne quintuplets (more appropriately referred to as the Dionne sisters by the remaining quintuplets) (born on May 28, 1934) are the first quintuplets known to survive their infancy. The sisters were born just outside Callander, Ontario, Canada in the village of Corbeil. . While wanting to retain its small town charm, but eager to encourage what its mayor Bill Brazeau calls "selective growth," town officials and residents decided two years ago a change of image was in order. They dropped the municipality's former name of North Himsworth. "Nobody knew where North Himsworth was," says Brazeau. Then they designed a new logo and launched a community Web site (www.callander.ca) as a tool to lure in potential homeowners, professional and investors. As North Bay's economy has flourished with its diverse mining supply and light industry sector, so has Callander's. With a residential tax rate that is almost $500 lower on a $100,000 home than in the city, the town's cottage-life atmosphere, combined with the urban amenities of North Bay, just a 10-minute drive away, is sparking activity in new-home starts. The response has been phenomenal with a residential building boom as a result of retirees, professionals and young families moving to Callander. On former bush lots, two new subdivisions overlooking a lake, including a 265-lot development near Osprey osprey (ŏs`prē), common name for a bird of prey related to the hawk and the New World vulture and found near water in most parts of the world. Links golf course, are taking shape. "We're seeing some real prime development," says Brazeau. "People are seeing the growth that's come in and are swooping (property) up." Between January 2003 and January 2004, 83 permits for single-family dwellings were issued, with 78 more for home renovations The creator of this article, or someone who has substantially contributed to it, may have a conflict of interest regarding its subject matter. It may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedia's content policies, particularly neutral point of view. , garages and semi-detached homes. A 22-unit condominium condominium In modern property law, individual ownership of one dwelling unit within a multidwelling building. Unit owners have undivided ownership interest in the land and those portions of the building shared in common. complex--known as Heron's Landing--opposite the town's waterfront on Main Street is in the planning stages, as well as a small marina to accommodate the development. There is also talk of a semi-retirement home going up at the north end of town. A casino-conference centre proposal by local resort owner Ted Abraham remains on hold until the province lifts its moratorium A suspension of activity or an authorized period of delay or waiting. A moratorium is sometimes agreed upon by the interested parties, or it may be authorized or imposed by operation of law. on casino expansion. "We have a golden opportunity to not only expand residential development, but get some prime development in our area that will attract people," says Brazeau, and that is why it is critical to complete the four-laning of Highway 11. He fully expects an improved road connection and faster access to southern Ontario will bring forth even greater exposure for the town and open up new business opportunities. While Callander's economy has been geared around sport fishing and the cottage crowd, Brazeau would not mind diversifying by adding some light industrial and commercial development, providing it fits the town's "keep-it-green" strategy. The town is currently undertaking an inventory of available highway sites, and plans on actively promoting the community by booklet and video at southern Ontario home shows and on doctor recruitment tours. By IAN ROSS Ian Ross is the name of:
Northern Ontario Business Northern Ontario Business is a Canadian magazine, which publishes monthly in Greater Sudbury, Ontario. The magazine covers business news and issues in Northern Ontario. |
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