Plan to raise spirits stalled as focus shifts to wood.

• Author: Wareing, Andrew
• Position: Iroquois Falls' Ed Pedskalny's investment plans

Like a bottle of spirits stashed away for a special occasion, so is Iroquois Falls' Ed Pedskalny's plan for a distillery.

On the outside, it seems a simple plan. The development of a neutral grain spirits distillery that would produce whiskey and vodka from the barley raised by local farmers. He says the distillery could generate revenue of about $1.3 million after the third year and then $1.9 million per year after about the tenth year.

According to a $51,000-feasibility study, all he needs is about $10 million-$8.25 million in initial investment without the construction of a building, or more if they want to build a new facility.

"Right now, it's beyond my capabilities to fund so we're going to try and raise some money," says a rushed Pedskalny, owner and operator of Ed Pedskalny Automotive Supplies. He is a busy person with customers waiting, and since the phone line he is on is the same one he uses for his Interac, he is eager to be off the phone.

There is only one small fly in the ointment that has temporarily put the brakes on his plan.

"Right now, the Town of Iroquois Falls is supporting this (Superior Thermowood) wood treatment plant," says an undaunted Pedskalny. "We're just going to sit tight until next year. Right now, if both try to go, both will fail.

"We do know the plan is feasible and it will make a profit, but we have to raise some shareholder money," he adds. "I'm going to be starting in the winter to get people out raising money. I've got some friends in the mining business and they claim they can find us some money."

Town of Iroquois Falls Mayor Ken Graham says it was his understanding the feasibility of the plan was more in question. Currently, the Thermowood project shows promise for the creation of the most jobs.

"They're still working on their business proposition, doing a market study to figure out where the market is, where the wood's going to go. It will be all sorted out soon," Graham says.

Pedskalny says the fact his distillery will only create a few local jobs is one of the reasons the project will not be receiving any government financial...