Funny how things work out; how, sometimes one door closes and another opens.
Few months back there were worries about the fate of the Nav Centre,which was put up for sale by Nav Canada.
Enter Devcore Developments.
Few years back Devcore was part of a group pitching a multi-milliondollar plan to re-develop LeBreton Flats in west Ottawa. The plan included a new arena for the Senators.
When the plan came off the rails, Devcore looked around for other development opportunities.
Somebody probably said, let’s take a look at Cornwall.
Notonly did they look, they started investing in the city.
Today,a few short years later, Devcore is Cornwall’s largest landlordwith a real estate portfolio that includes some 600 rental units.And, it’s real estate footprint is about to get bigger. A lot bigger.
Just weeks after closing the mega Nav Centre deal, the prolific developer has taken the wraps off what it plans to do with the 75-acre piece of prime real estate and the 630,000-square-foot building it purchased.First order of business was to re-name the facility. It is now the Dev Hotel and Conference Centre.
The Gatineau-based company plans to spend $1 billion in re-developing the property over the next 10 years, by far the biggest single real estate development under taken in the city.
Devcore,which owns a proven track record, thinks big.
According to an Ottawa business publication, the company will use the property to add hundreds of residential units (mostly condos/apartments) tothe city inventory. And it doesn’t stop there. There are plans fora 150-room hotel and a botanical garden, a potential tourist attraction.
“All the cool stuff that we wanted to do on LeBreton, we’re going to do in Cornwall,” Jean-Pierre Poulin, Devcore president, told the Ottawa publication.
This along with plans by Great Wolf Lodge to build a multi-million dollar top-of-the-line hotel/water park complex on the northern edge of the Industrial Park, will make the city an attractive tourist destination.
We are not about to replace Niagara Falls as a destination attraction but we’ve come a long way in putting a shine on our once less-than positive factory town image.
As they like to say in Texas, who would have thunk it!
THIS MONTH IN 1975
Ald. Brian Lynch’s resolution calling on the federal government to introduce a guaranteed annual income program received unanimous support from his council colleagues. Meanwhile, Ald. Angelo Lebano withdrew his resolution calling on the federal government to force able-bodied males to work for their welfare cheques, after he realized the resolution had no chance of passing…. When talks between the United Counties and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) broke down, the counties locked out the 45union members who wanted parity with city union members performing the same work. … A national poll showed that Cornwall was one of a handful of Canadian municipalities with a 10 p.m. curfew for those under 16. But Cornwall seemed to be in step with what Canadians were thinking. The poll showed that 60% of Canadian adults supported a curfew. … George Samis (MPP Cornwall) said a provincial government bill that forbid school principals and vice-principals from going on strike, despite being members of a union, would make their jobs “much more difficult.” Years later they were taken out of unions by the Harris government. … An estimated 20,000 spectators watched hydroplane races at Guindon Park. … Cornwall native and former Royals’ goaltender Mario Vien was signed by the Toronto Toros of the World Hockey Association (WHA). He had been the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League most valuable player the previous season. …MCA Records union members walked off the job. They wanted a $1.50 an hour wage increase. The rate was $3 an hour. … The provincial government cut Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) funding. The government said with the Cold War over, the organization was no longer needed. … With 5,000 of the city’s estimated 12,000bicycles licensed, city police extended the deadline. Fine for not having a bicycle licence was $5. Cost of the licence was $3. … With gas prices on the rise, Premier Bill Davis announced a 90-day pricefreeze at the pumps. … Ex-Teamster president Jimmy Hoffa was missing. Police suspected foul play. His body has never been found…. The Olympic Flame steak house opened at 1121 Brookdale Ave.
HERE AND THERE
Every now and then there is evidence that you can’t buy class. … Poor Joe Biden. The prez is a decent chap but can’t catch a break. Even his own party is quietly working behind the scenes to make sure he isn’t on the 2024 presidential ticket. …Not up here in the Great White North, where despite his low popularity numbers (even with all the money being thrown at Canadian sold enough to vote), Trudeau the Younger has a firm grip on the reins. … It’s back to the future when it comes to groceries being packed in paper bags. … Remember when schools had fire drills. These days they have lock-down drills. … Talk about being out of touch with the unwashed. Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland when quizzed about high gas prices and how they have affected the average Canadian responded that it just shows the need for action on climate change. … Seems the Vatican didn’t get the memo. Two weeks back Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, not only got the VIP treatment during a visit to the Vatican, but received Holy Communionand a blessing from the Pope. This after the archbishop of San Francisco barred her from receiving the sacrament for her support for abortion rights, which the archbishop called a “grave sin.”
TRIVIA ANSWER
The man given the monumental task of keeping a theatre full of rambunctious kids under control on Saturday mornings was Palace Theatre cop Herbie Montpetit.
TRIVIA
This famous American actress was born Norma Jeane Mortenson, was baptized as Norma Jeane Baker and signed her first contract with 20thCentury Fox as Norma Jeane Dougherty. What was her stage name?
QUOTED
“Anyone who thinks money will make you happy hasn’t got money.”- Anonymous
