Resort finding market demand.

• Author: WALCHUK, KEVIN
• Position: Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Not a year old, Cedar Meadows success surprises owners

For brothers Richard, Robert, Gilles and Michel Lafleur, entrepreneurial success is a family affair.

Co-owners of Lafleur Gardens, a successful gardening supply company located in Timmins, the brothers have channelled their proven business acumen and spirit into Cedar Meadows Resort and Animal Park.

Located on 200 acres on the outskirts of Timmins, the 1,800 square-metre facility is quickly making a name for itself as a successful tourist and corporate destination in northeastern Ontario.

Opened last February, the resort has 29 rooms and offers different levels of convenience from single rooms to more exotic suites equipped with fireplace and whirlpool facilities.

The resort also contains a full 100-seat dining facility and an adjoining 175-acre wildlife park housing a variety of different animals including moose, deer, big horn sheep, bison, elk and swans. It is open to both registered guests and the general public.

For corporate clients looking to plan retreats or business functions, Cedar Meadows has four separate conference rooms with seating capacities that range from 30 to 250.

Richard Lafleur says occupancy rates at the resort since February have consistently been above 80 per cent despite challenges such as last year's mild winter, which affected the snowmobile market.

While initially worried, Lafleur says he and his...