Long known as a tourist destination, Temagami is focusing on some other opportunities that can help grow the community.
“We are poised to move forward,” said Mayor John Hodgson. “We have good staff, we have the size, infrastructure, the rail line and we have an industrial park.”
The municipality, located on Highway 11, about 100 kilometres north of North Bay, has also managed to trim its taxes by four per cent and reduce its long-term debt.
“We are not in bad shape,” the mayor said. “Our plan from the (2010) election on was to manage the corporation as we do our household and our hope is that it will pay off in dividends down the road.”
Temagami needs some investment in the area and Hodgson said under its treeline lies some of the richest mineral resources in the area.
“We know someday, somewhere, there will be some type of mineral development,” he said.
The municipality wants to promote the area's potential for resource development and encourage exploration and prospecting.
The municipality was home to the former iron ore Sherman Mine which operated from 1967 to 1990.
In the village, some available land will be opened up to the development of affordable housing or condos in the near future and work is progressing on getting the former Ministry of Natural Resources offices demolished.
“It is on prime land on the lake, in the village, and now the initial demolition of some of the out buildings has started so our hope is that all the buildings will be demolished,” Hodgson said.
“We would like to see the land go to the best use so we will be working with (the province) on how it will be disposed.”
Temagami is also capitalizing on its popular 100-foot high fire tower which is on the summit of Caribou Mountain, 400 feet above the village.
There are plans to bring a zip-line business to complement the attraction and early negotiations with an interested firm are ongoing.
“We have a natural location for it where the fire tower is and right behind is the White Bear Forest. It's really looking positive,” Hodgson said.
