Sale of Crown property a top priority.

The Charles W. Stockey Centre for the Performing Arts and the Bobby Orr Hockey Hall of Fame are two facilities in Parry Sound that are seen as having an important role to play in the future development of the town's waterfront.

Town of Parry Sound chief administrative officer Rob Mens says the facilities which were developed at a cost of $12 million have undergone a few changes over the past year since its opening last July. Those changes include new management and a shift in emphasis from a stand-alone not-for-profit agency to a facility operated by the town itself similar to the Parry Sound Public Library.

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"The good news is that it is being extremely well received by the community at large," he says. "There was originally a good percentage of people who thought that this would be a white elephant. But it is rapidly showing itself to be an excellent type of event and entertainment venue that is becoming well recognized by the entertainment industry."

Opening for business in July of last year, the Stockey Centre ended the year with a $162,000 deficit. However, with a change in management, Mens says the centre is currently operating at a $132,000 deficit and the busiest part of the year has yet to take place.

It is already developing a reputation by the entertainment industry for its acoustics.

The centre is adjacent to six acres of waterfront property now occupied by local offices of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines and the Ontario Provincial Police.

Mens says the town has already fielded early interest from a private-sector developer looking to develop the land for a commercial use. The key is for the town to purchase the property from the Ontario government so development can begin.

Jeff Giffen, community liaison officer for the northern regional offices of the Ontario Realty Corporation (ORC), says a couple of important events have to take place before a deal can be struck. They include the relocation of the ministry offices somewhere else in Parry Sound and an Order in Council by the Cabinet of the provincial Liberal government.

Parry Sound made its first inquiries about two years ago and there is no set timeline for the deal to take place, nor is there a set price since the property since it has not yet had an updated appraisal, Giffen says. The "lines of communication" have remained open as they continue to investigate alternative arrangements for the existing ministry offices.

"One of the things we were looking at was a sales/lease-back arrangement," he says. "In effect, we would sell the property to the municipality and lease it back on the province's behalf. That would an interim step to ensure the municipality had the opportunity to attract developers to the site. It's been on the table, but I wouldn't say it's the only option by any means.

The property is characterized as "the most important" part of the Parry Sound's overall waterfront development plans, the concept drawings of which are on the town's Web site at www.town.parry-sound.on.ca.

By ANDREW WAREING

Northern Ontario Business