Clear sailing for Parry Sound's economic future.

To hear Marianne King-Wilson tell it, the waters of Parry Sound are clean and deep, its westerly winds brisk and dependable, and its sailing heritage long and storied. As an avid boater and the former president of Sail Parry Sound, she would certainly know, and it's that image she's hoping will be conveyed with the completion of the $525,000 Sail Parry Sound Sailing Centre and Public Park.

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As a non-profit corporation dedicated to reviving the city's sailing heritage, Sail Parry Sound began work on the publicly-accessible centre and park on March 18, 2006, with an anticipated grand opening on June 21.

"The idea certainly was that we would bring people here because it's such wonderful sailing, and we've been successful in doing that.," says King-Wilson, who completed her 10-year term as founding president in April.

"We know people who've come here to live because it's a beautiful sailing area, and there are people who cottage here because it's a beautiful sailing area, and so it is certainly an economic generator, there's no question about that. Ultimately, we adopted the motto 'Sailing for a better community' because of it."

Located on Waubano Road, by the Old Town Beach, the two-storey, 1,560-square-foot building is framed by a fitness trail lined with pink granite, which snakes through the area and around the shoreline.

Sail Parry Sound's 30 boats will be stored in the facility where much of the external work has been completed, leaving the installation of windows and double doors, as well as the pouring of the floor.

With poured concrete floors and large double doors, the facility primarily acts as a storage area and has the capacity to hold 30 sailboats.

It also features a sail loft, which is a "very clean floor" where sails can be examined, flattened and folded. A 41-foot schooner mast has been built into the ground adjacent to the centre, standing over the beach as the centre's flagpole and making the jut of land, on which the centre is located, seem like the prow of a ship, King-Wilson says.

Sail Parry Sound has also restored the nearby century-old wharf, redecking and repairing it. They've also made it wheelchair accessible, along with the associated public park and trail.

The new facility marks the first time in Sail Parry Sound's 10-year history it has a place to call its own, having operated its sailing school on the city's town beach since 1998. With a 20-year lease from the city now in hand, the corporation has embraced its new location, where the city's only condition was the establishment of the park.

The project has seen financial support from the provincial and federal governments. FedNor provided an investment of $178,735, while the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation contributed $176,200.

The Trillium Foundation gave $46,000, which went towards relocating and expanding the school's boat enclosure, and improving the natural sloping of the dolly ramp for launching dinghies at the new site.

However, much of this investment was predicated on the corporation raising $150,000 on its own. By mid-May, Sail Parry Sound had raised $170,000 with donations continuing to roll in on a regular basis.

"All of the municipalities have contributed something, all the service clubs have contributed, as well as local business, individuals, all of our board members, most of our club members, everyone has been part of it. It's been very, very broad interest because people believe in the value of what we're doing here."

The completed centre and park will help Sail Parry Sound to put on its regular sailing classes, which typically register 320 student between July and August. Up to 15 homegrown instructors work on a volunteer basis, and any profit earned from the school is re-invested into the purchase and maintenance of its boats.

To help kick off its grand opening, Sail Parry Sound will host the 2007 Ontario Albacore Championship on June 23 and 24. Up to 30 boating crews from around the world, including a handful from the United States and a crew from the United Kingdom, will arrive in Parry Sound as part of the two-day event.

These types of events are key to promoting the city's strengths to people who might not otherwise be aware of them, King-Wilson says.

"It helps to attract many visitors and show them what a wonderful place Parry Sound is to live."

By NICK STEWART

Northern Ontario Business