Wal-Mart Canada moves Kemptville construction forward
http://www.yourottawaregion.com/news...uction-forward
“I could not be happier,” said North Grenville Mayor Bill Gooch, as word of Wal-Mart Canada’s decision to move up their construction date by two years for their store in Kemptville, was made public on Wednesday.
A press release from Wal-Mart stated, "The store is expected to be completed in early 2011 as part of the "Kemptville Colonnade" and retail centre currently developing at the interchange of Highways 43 and 416”.
Mayor Gooch is more optimistic.
He hopes that construction will begin early and as a result the store could be completed as soon as this Christmas.
The mayor says that the Colonnade development is ready to go with sewer and water connections already set up as well as the council’s promise to do all that they can to hurry the building process up.
The press release stated, “"Investing in a new store is a significant financial commitment for Wal-Mart Canada,” said Ken Farrell, Vice President of Store Development for Wal-Mart Canada.
"We do a considerable amount of research before we enter a market, including a review of the needs of the local community. We believe the community around Kemptville is vital and strong, and we look forward to being a part of it.”
The construction of the new Wal-Mart store is expected to create over 200 construction trade jobs.
Once the store is built, Wal-Mart is expected to hire up to 175 "associates."
Mayor Gooch has been meeting with Colonnade and Wal-Mart over the past two years to ensure that the project went ahead.
This past summer he was disappointed to hear form Wal-Mart that they had decided to delay their construction until 2012.
Gooch said that he was surprised when Wal-Mart called to meet with him and even more delighted to be told that they were moving their project schedule forward.
He said that the news is like lighting a fuse on economic development in North Grenville.
“My next focus,” he said, “will be industrial development.”