Accessing Innova

In 30 days, the plan to improve access to Innova Business Park could be a step away from the project going to tender.

The City of Thunder Bay issued a notice of completion of the municipal class environmental assessment, which project manager Tom McConnell said is a notification their studies are finished and the public now has 30 days to comment.

If there aren’t any problems that can’t be addressed within the 30-day period, the city can move forward with the construction of two access roads to Innova Park; they would be completed by the end of this year.

The first will be an extension of Innovation Drive to Golf Links Road and the second is the Premier Way extension to the Harbour Expressway.

The Innovation Drive extension will work as a regular intersection controlled by a stop sign; the Premier Way extension will have a right-turn only entrance and exit.

"That’s for safety reasons," said McConnell. "We don’t want to have uncontrolled turning lanes in that location. We want to keep traffic as safe as possible."

The project plans and information are available for the public to view at both the Brodie Resource Library and the Waverley Resource Library and in the Engineering Division of the Victoriaville Civic Centre.

McConnell said they aren’t expecting to see many problems arise from the public consultation. However, if concerns come up, it could delay progress.

Innova Business Park was constructed in the mid-90s and McConnell said it hasn’t attracted many developers over the years. The problem was the lack of access to the site.

"We’ve had people say that is a drawback to the park," he said. "Council is very keen to have these access points so that we can attract additional developers to that area."

Development department manager Mark Smith said there are two developers interested in building in Innova Park, but they’re waiting for the economic slump to end before they begin any projects.

Regardless of whether the two companies do build here, Smith said he feels the access roads will attract more future developments.

The total cost of the project is $2.3 million. Last November, the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund announced they would provide $1 million. The City of Thunder Bay will fund the remainder of the project.