As you turn the corner past the Lake of the Woods District Hospital, the City of Kenora springs into view. Turn of the century buildings give way to the lake in a setting that screams ‘postcard.’ It’s an enviable scene that should be an easy marketing task.
But in the aftermath of the closure of the once-dominant paper mill, Kenora must reinvent itself. It must find new sources of income for its citizens, and leverage what many believe is the prettiest small city from Toronto to the Rockies into a destination spot.
That means rethinking how Kenora does business with the thousands of summer residents and attracting plenty of new visitors.
For summer residents it may mean simple things like putting proper bumpers on public docks or opening businesses on Sundays in the summer.
Some of the city’s commercial district is difficult to reach for boat-bound cottagers. A trip for a screw or a light bulb is now a long journey that involves an automobile. Perhaps a shuttle from the harbourfront docks to local businesses that are not easily walkable would help ease the commute for some cottagers who don’t like the idea of a three-hour trip to buy supplies. This would create more bustle at the downtown docks and make shopping in the city a more enjoyable experience. Then there are those big picture plans.
Ideas about the future of Kenora pour out of John Gale faster than the lake flows into the Winnipeg River. The transplanted Manitoban sounds like he grew up in the area, rather than in his hometown of The Pas.
Gale says the inspiration for his plans strike him every time he drives in from his cottage/home inClearwater Bay; “ You get hit with the wowwhen you come into town,” he says.
A conference centre, waterslide park, outdoor amphitheatre, upscale housing development… even resurrecting the ‘Camper’s Special’ train fromWinnipeg to Kenora are part of what Gale believes will propel Kenora into a new era. Gale isunequivocal about his ambitions for Kenora and has a yardstick to judge them. “Banff is beautiful, but there is more to do in Kenora.”
The way Gale sees the area… it’s a jewel waiting to be polished. John Gale may be the diamond cutter up to the task. Gale and his partners built Dimatec Inc. into a big player in the drilling business. He sold his share of the company acouple of years ago and made his cottage on Lake of the Woods homebase. Both moves gave him the financial clout to pursue other interests and the passion for the next phase of his business life.
Gale sees Kenora moving on from it’s past as a paper mill town. Forestry company Abitibi-Consolidated closed it’s doors and laid off the last of its staff almost five years ago, ending nearly 80 years of history with a town and area once called Rat Portage.Kenora Mayor Len Compton says although reinventing itself is nothing new for Kenora, it’s something the city has to do. “Lake of the Woods is a huge asset.” Compton says. “And the fastest way to reinvent [the city] is tourism.”
And that’s where John Gale thinks he can help. He’s involved in the purchase of some property from Abitibi (now merged into a new company called AbitibiBowater).
“It is one thing to get people to come there, quite something else to keep them coming back,” Gale says about building up traffic to the area.
Gale is also working closely with area business leaders to explore possible joint ventures with First Nations communities to resurrect forestry jobs by implementing “value added” manufacturing of forest resources.
Gale also considers First Nation participation in tourist attractions a huge missed opportunity.
“Involvement with area First Nation communities must be embraced to realize the full potential of the Kenora district.”
If Gale’s plans come to fruition, locals and cottagers will see big changes. Cameron Bay and Rideout Bay (both part of the offer to purchase from AbitibiBowater) will be developed. Cameron Bay will become a neighbourhood of upscale cottages and homes serviced by a boardwalk around most of the bay. Rideout Bay will feature a resort, conference centre, indoor, and possibly outdoor waterslides. A performing arts centre would be built as part of the complex.
All of these ideas are coming as Winnipeg developer Qualico Homes moves along with it’s plans to develop nearly a kilometre of shoreline where the Abitibi mill used to have staff quarters. The property will be the site of dozens of high-end condominiums.The combination of the two ambitious schemes has the potential to vastly change the way Kenora looks and feels.
Mayor Compton likes all of what he’s heard so far, but he’s still cautious. “We are supportive of John Gale and hope a deal (with Abitibi) can be closed.”
Whether it’s convincing life-long cottagers to make an extra trip intoKenora, or finding new visitors to be blown away by the area’s beauty, much of the city’s future depends on how its next ‘makeover’ takes shape.
– Sean Kavanaugh
Journalist for CBC and long time summer resident of Lake of the Woods.?
