Well, it’s official.
FreshCo has announced a date for the move to its new location in the north end of Fergus: Feb. 13.
On Feb. 8, the store at the corner of Beatty Line and St. Andrew Street we all know and love will close for good.
There will be a four-day window without a FreshCo and then, on Feb. 13, the new store will open at 875 St. David St. N.
I drive by the new development every day and I must say, FreshCo is looking pretty good.
While I have not received any confirmation from the development company, the FreshCo flyer announced the move.
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Dairy Queen also announced on its website that a new location would be “coming soon” at 875 St. David St. N.
I’m not sure how many of you know this, but the Advertiser is located very close – at the opposite end of Gordon Street – to this new commercial development. On those dog days of summer you better believe I’m going to slip over to DQ and get a Skor Blizzard. Delicious.
I’m looking forward to seeing what other businesses will be populating this new development.
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On the other side of St. David Street North, just down Gordon Street, Centre Wellington has approved the purchase of land for the first ever Business Park at 6518 First Line.
It’s an interesting idea. The municipality buys the land, services it and then sells it back to businesses as essentially a ready-made parcel.
Councillor Steven VanLeeuwen made it clear the lots would be sold to a variety of different businesses and that it wouldn’t just be for industrial businesses.
Look for lot sales at that development beginning in 2021.
Anyone who’s worried about rising residential taxes should be excited about the addition of employment lands. More commercial property means more commercial taxes and a little less tax burden on residential taxpayers.
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Moving further north, the three northern municipalities in Wellington County are forming a joint economic development partnership.
The group will focus on five main projects while individual economic development departments in Mapleton, Minto and Wellington North will be responsible for additional projects each municipality would like to pursue.
I can only see good in this idea.
One of the best ways to learn is from someone who doing something different than you. By collaborating between three different municipalities, the economic development partnership will not only be able to address the five projects, but each economic development department will learn from the others and embrace that knowledge in everything it does.
I predict good things from this partnership. Maybe more Wellington County municipalities will now look at shared services.
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Don’t forget to email questions/news tips to businessleader@wellingtonadvertiser.com.
