Creating a waterfront community gathering place.Thunder Bay Thunder Bay, city (1991 pop. 113,946), SW Ont., Canada, on Thunder Bay inlet of Lake Superior. The city was created in 1970 by the amalgamation of the twin cities of Fort William and Port Arthur and two adjoining townships. taxpayers and developers will get their first glimpse First Glimpse is a monthly consumer electronics magazine published by Sandhills Publishing Company in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. The magazine was known as CE Lifestyles before a name change in early 2006. this winter at the completed multi-million dollar vision for a tourism and family attraction to expand a waterfront park Waterfront Park can refer to any of a number of parks on a river or other body of water, including:
The city's Waterfront Development Commission's consultant has returned their final report outlining the 'highest and best land use' study and development strategy for Marina Park and an adjoining former grain elevator property. The plan is to create a community gathering place with a mixed use concept to draw people to the waterfront for festivals, events, dinner and shopping. The city has committed to spend $7.3 million over the next few years to improve roadway access to Marina Park and basically double its size onto the historic Saskatchewan Pool 6 grain elevator property, which was imploded im·plode v. im·plod·ed, im·plod·ing, im·plodes v.intr. To collapse inward violently. v.tr. 1. To cause to collapse inward violently. 2. in 2002. Tentative plans call for a "Town Square' concept of waterfront condos, restaurant and retail space, a hotel with conference facilities, artisan gallery space and docking for Great Lakes cruise ships. The more fully-formed plan in the consultant's report will be on public display during consultation sessions in December and January, says Mark Bentz, a Thunder Bay city councillor and chairman of the waterfront committee. Some of those plans will be rolled out next year with $1.5 million in park improvements for docks, a skateboard park and remediation of the once-time CN Rail land. Bentz says the idea is to create a "critical mass of activity" to draw people and festival-goers into a year-round attraction. The historic CN Rail station on the property already houses a cafe, restaurant and other small retail shops. "People want to see something ambitious happening there," says Bent, after in sampling public opinion during the fall municipal election campaign. The waterfront project price tag could go as high as $100 million spread out over several years. "But if we get the proper government and private buy-in, it shouldn't cost that much to local taxpayers," says Bentz. He said potential developers are adopting a wait-and-see attitude for the public's and city council's blessing. "I suspect it should be an easy sell to get a developer onto the waterfront. It's prime property." An earlier attempt five years ago to develop the former wheat pool elevator land--the ill-fated Portside port·side adv. & adj. 1. On the waterfront of a port: taking a stroll portside; a portside restaurant. 2. development--with a Sheraton hotel, convention centre, restaurants and water park, dissolved into political infighting in·fight·ing n. 1. Contentious rivalry or disagreement among members of a group or organization: infighting on the President's staff. 2. Fighting or boxing at close range. at city hall. Bentz says he was assured by a committee colleague that the $15 million once offered by Northern Ontario Heritage Fund The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund is a division of the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines in the Canadian province of Ontario, whose purpose is to provide funding and program support to foster economic development in the economically disadvantaged Northern Ontario region. for regional tourist attractions in the late 1990's might still be available. "I'm confident the money is still there for the right project." www.thunderbay.ca By IAN ROSS 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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