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Construction boom prompts concerns (3/02)

By Michael Lynch A $300-million construction boom in Dryden has the business community excited.

By Michael Lynch

A $300-million construction boom in Dryden has the business community excited. Concerns are being expressed, however, about the lack of accommodation in the city to house an out-of-town construction workforce, and the impact these shortages will have on the community's tourism industry.

Roger Valley, Dryden Chamber of Commerce director, organized a meeting late last year to inform members about some of the problems they could encounter during the construction boom, which is expected to peak in the summer of 2003.

"It is a good problem to have," says Valley, a former Dryden mayor and city councillor. "Those attending the meeting in December were surprised at the extent of the construction activity planned."

The chamber plans to hold further meetings with its members and city representatives to identify problems they might encounter.

The construction includes $150 million in air-quality improvements at the Weyerhaeuser mill, the city's major employer. These improvements will exceed current air quality standards. The uncoated free-sheet paper producer will also construct an addition and make renovations to its offices. There are seven other major projects planned, including two each in the education and health sectors, and three in the retail sector.

Valley says Dryden has always had a shortage of accommodation during the summer months.

"Our community is a favourite spot for American tourists who spend a lot of money here during the summer. The hotel rooms are usually full," Valley says.

Jane Murray, Weyerhaeuser's public affairs officer for Ontario, says there were hotel room shortages in the community during a maintenance shutdown in 2001.

"It was at the height of the tourism season," she says. This experience, Murray says, prompted Weyerhaeuser to advise the mayor and city officials of possible accommodation problems in 2002 and 2003.

Jim Dayman, the city's economic development officer, says the city is taking a close look at the accommodations that will be available during the peak construction period. There are 420 hotel rooms, 303 campsites and an unspecified number of vacant apartments.

"One of the options we are examining is the establishment of a trailer camp to house out-of-town construction workers," Dayman says.

Dayman estimates there could be as many as 900 construction workers in the community during the peak construction period, May to October 2003.

Rick Linbmeier, Dryden Chamber of Commerce manager, says it is encouraging that there is "an increased willingness by all sectors to meet and share information. How it is going to affect our important tourism industry is still a question to be answered.

"Nobody wants to turn away business that we get on an annual basis for the sake of short-term gain," Linbmeier says.

Murray is confident the community will come up with a plan to handle the construction workforce. She is also "confident in the long-term viability of the (Weyerhaeuser) paper mill," she says.

"We are planning on spending approximately $50 million to upgrade two of the three paper machines to keep it one of the top mills."

The city's business community values Weyerhaeuser's confidence in the mill's future

“Their confidence in the future has allowed Dryden to establish itself as a regional shopping and servicing center,” Linbmeier says.

Linbmeier estimates the city currently serves approximately 50,000 people, including First Nation communities.

In addition to the Weyerhaeuser projects, the construction plans include a new elementary school, a new regional adult training and cultural centre, major renovations at the Dryden Regional Health Centre, a 32-bed expansion at a home for the aged, an expansion of the Extra Foods grocery store, a new Sobeys/IGA supermarket and an expansion of the Wal-Mart store.

There will also be two-week maintenance shutdowns at the Weyerhaeuser mill in both 2002 and 2003, plus reconstruction of two bridges and road projects.