What will council put in our "255" Christmas stocking?
The past council left a present for Elliot Lake. Will the new council turn it into a lump of coal?
The past council left a present for us on
the new council’s table: Three proposals for the prime commercial property at 255
Hwy 108 - the vacant property beside Tim Hortons. City staff reviewed the
proposals with the councilmen Monday evening in a meeting moved into a
closed-to-the-public session by Mayor Patrie.
For many years, Elliot Lakers have wanted a second hotel. This facility would be an excellent support for building our tourism industry, creating local jobs, adding to our local tax base, and filling some of the service gaps we experience with our only existing hotel.
255 Hwy 108 is the prime commercial real estate we have needed to attract our long-desired second hotel.
There are two objections. Do they make sense?
The first objection: It has often been said that “Retirement Living will never allow that!” The implication is that they actively discouraged the competition. Is that true?
In an article titled Mythologies, ELRLinfo.com says, “The fact that another hotel/motel has not been constructed in Elliot Lake has nothing to do with interference from us and a lot to do with viability. An investor will do their due diligence and look at the cost to construct and the profit potential [..] We suspect that potential investors have assessed the demand for hotel rooms and have realized that currently there is not enough demand in Elliot Lake to sustain more hotel rooms.”
ELRL’s article was written in 2015. A lot has changed since then. Elliot Lake has changed from a city with hundreds of homes for sale to only a few dozen. And many unoccupied rentals to becoming now, basically, full-up. The three proposals on the council table suggest that potential investors have assessed the demand for hotel rooms in 2022 and beyond and have realized that a lot has changed in seven years in Elliot Lake.
To finish quoting from ELRL’s article, “We encourage new developments of every type in Elliot Lake even if the developments are competitive to our business.”
For the sake of Elliot Lake, the council should take Retirement Living at their own words.
The second objection: “We should rebuild the civic centre on 255.”
The performing arts community would like a new theatre built at 255 - a proper performance theatre with all the features needed to attract professional acts and encourage our local performers – young and old alike. The city should support their vision, but not at 255. The problem is that property has features that don’t matter or don’t matter as much to a theatre. But they matter a lot to a hotel.
Other than one reason, all the reasons given for rebuilding at 255 can be satisfied at other locations. The one reason that cannot be satisfied with a different location is: Nostalgia. And that is completely understandable. The sudden loss of a space where so much joy was experienced has left our valued arts community with a very real trauma that is not to be minimized. What is being missed, though, is this: We can never go back. A new facility built on 255 will be an entirely different facility regardless of where it is built. Stepping into it will not be like stepping back into the Pearson Civic Centre.
What is our best use of this prime commercial location?
255 Hwy 108 has unique features that make it an ideal location for a hotel. It’s highly visible on the main drive into town. It’s centrally located with fast-food restaurants beside it. To attract power sports enthusiasts, ATV/snowmobile trails are directly behind it. And, separated only by some rock (welcome to Elliot Lake), a gas station is next door - also connected to the trails. The unique features make this a rare opportunity for Elliot Lake to attract the long-desired second hotel. There isn’t another location in town that checks off so many boxes for a prospective hotel investor.
Elliot Lake: Do you want your second hotel? If yes, be sure to let your councillors know now! If we let this opportunity pass by, we might never have another chance this good again.
The past council left a present for Elliot Lake. Will the new council turn it into a lump of coal?
Note: The author presented this and other points at the council meeting. If you can stand listening to his awkward style and want the content, it’s here: Presentation to Council, Monday, December 12, 2022 The presentation starts at 04:25.
by Stephen Calverley, December 15, 2022