Some shopkeepers here are hoping PetroCanada has a good plan for the service station it closed at the start of last week.
The company yanked out the gasoline pumps and erected a fence around the property. There has been a history at the site, with station operators changing seemingly every five years. Now it appears the station is closed for good.
Further, there is unlikely to ever be a new gas station in the downtown again. Economic Development Officer Dave Rushton noted the new zoning bylaw states no new gasoline stations are allowed in the downtown.
The Advertiser attempted on Friday morning to reach someone from PetroCanada, but was unable to obtain a reason the station was closed, although, after phoning the station, officials did say the phone had been disconnected.
When asked why the station closed, or what might happen to it, the spokesman, who did not give his name, stated he was unable to say. He further stated no one at the office could provide details because they were all away for the long weekend. He promised to have someone call back within three working days.
Rushton said he understood there were some leaks in the gas tanks, and he noted there has been problems with other closed gas stations in the township. He said he has heard the building is going to come down, but he is unsure what will become of the land, which is at the main intersection of the village’s tourism streets.
Rushton also noted with Murad Allibhai no longer running the station, there are no PetroCanada stations in the township. There is an independent station on Mill Street in Elora, and two Esso stations on County Road 7 in the village. In Fergus, there are two Shell stations, one Esso and an Ultramar station.
Centre Wellington Chief Building Official Bob Foster said in an interview he understood the station had not been showing a good profit margin, and that is why it was closed.
He said there were some minor leaks, and PetroCanada has hired someone to do tests of the site. He added he has heard the preliminary tests indicate there are few problems there.
He said from what he has heard from the company, the plan is to clean up the site, remove the building and sell it for something such as a parkette or parking.
He added that the company plans to keep the walls of an old stable behind the station that are part of the lot’s past, and will offer it to adjoining landowers.
But Foster said the company is sensitive to the station on the corner being closed.
“They sort of recognize the unique location,” he said.
As for the Elora merchants, Pat Carrigan, the manager of Magic Mountain, said in an interview on Monday. “They came in the morning [Aug. 31] and took the fuel out of it. We’re just praying it doesn’t sit. Even parking or green space would be better than it is.”
