Moving in

The former Hillcrest High School is now officially the Thunder Bay Centre of Change.

The non-profit business incubator received the keys Friday afternoon. General manager Sandy Boucher said the deal was completed Thursday and finalized around noon Friday.

Since then, her phone has been ringing non-stop from members of the 34 businesses committed to the project.

"It’s pretty awesome news," Boucher said near her new office in the old school. "I don’t think it’s sunk in yet we’ve been kind of racing around here and now it’s real."

The idea, started last October, is to create a space where businesses can partner up and grow together.

There will also be shared spaces such as the auditorium and various classrooms that the businesses can get together and figure out ways to help each other. It will also cut overhead costs by having a print shop so that smaller businesses don’t have to purchase expensive equipment like photocopiers, Boucher said.

While most office buildings want to retain tenants, Boucher said the overall goal is to develop start-up companies to the point where they need to move out of the building. As businesses move out, others can move in and start-up in the business incubator. Boucher expects a high turnover.

"They can grow their business to the point where they actually move out of the centre and go get a space in your classic office building," Boucher said. "We really wanted this to be a boost to the Thunder Bay economy."

The centre will hold the most eclectic group of non-profit and for-profit businesses ever. The building will be home to everything from martial arts to dance studios to film production and bookkeeping.

"We open the doors to whoever could benefit from these options we didn’t want to dictate in any way," she said.

The cafeteria will be used by a local catering company. It will also be serving healthy lunch options. Non-profits looking to fundraise through things like spaghetti dinners can also use the cafeteria and the old food and nutrition room to make meals.

Boucher expects a grand opening of the centre in the coming months although she hasn’t pinned down a date yet. Only the top floor of the building is left to rent.

"I can’t imagine they’re going to last very long," she said.

The centre will also require an elevator to be accessible. Funding for that has already been applied for Boucher said.