1800's Flair.

• Author: Ross, Ian
• Position: Brief Article

"Tea house by the locks" concept nabs first place in entrepreneurship competition

SAULT STE. MARIE -- Whenever Vic Duffield walks past the old lock superintendent's house at the Parks Canada Heritage Canal, he sees an opportunity waiting to be cultivated.

The two-storey Victorian-style residence constructed in 1895 by the stonemasons who carved out the canal, has been a bucolic photographic backdrop for wedding parties and a favourite gathering place for cyclists, waterfront strollers and boatwatchers who wish to stretch their legs.

"It's such a beautiful spot, Duffield, a third-year Algoma University College psychology student, says of the sandstone dwelling set amongst the twisty elms on the park grounds. "I go down there, and I don't want to leave."

For years, Duffield had nurtured the idea of renovating the building, turning it into a restaurant in the style of a turn-of-the-century English tea house. A graduate of Saulto College's food and beverage management course, he bounced his plan off a few friends, including some local restauranteurs who've offered to back him financially for the $60,000 start-up.

"People come down here to take wedding pictures all the time and if they want to get something to drink all they have available is a pop machine. It's really a shame."

Last year his concept and business plan was judged so innovative, he took home top honours in the inaugural BRIDGE Entrepreneurship Competition. First place earned him $10,000 in cash and professional services donated by local businesses and development agencies.

BRIDGE is the Bi-National Regional Initiative Developing Greater Education -- a joint-venture consortium between Algoma University College, Sault College and Lake Superior. State University in Sault, Michigan and the Sault's economic development corporation. Its purpose is to promote and cultivate entrepreneurship at the post-secondary level.

The competition is an element of their business development process modelled after a highly successful program developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

BRIDGE executive director Mike Delfre explains that the process involves changing the orientation of education by marrying it with business creation. Instead of students graduating into the job market, they graduate straight into their own Start-up companies.

"Their education has to be an enterprise-creation activity, rather than just an education," Delfre says.

With the aid of a Royal Bank CD-ROM given to all...