Potential industrial park development.

• Author: GOULIQUER, DIANNE

Blind River's attempts at building an industrial park have so far been unsuccessful, but the town's mayor says that may change if all goes well during an upcoming meeting with FedNor officials.

Bob Gallagher says the town has been pursuing the development of an industrial park for nearly three years, but nothing has materialized yet because the Ontario Realty Corp. still holds half of the property.

"We still do not have confirmation that the part of the park being sold by the Ontario Realty Corp. has been approved yet," Gallagher says. "We've been assured several times that it would be, and we were hoping to hear something (last month). It's the half of the industrial park property that we need first."

Gallagher says a meeting is scheduled with FedNor officials for early May to discuss funding opportunities for the project, which would include the development of up to 10 lots on a 200-hectare parcel of land.

"We were turned down by the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund last year," he says, noting the heritage fund would not provide funding because the town. was unable to confirm its plans at the time. "We need funding for sure...