Thinking too big?

Dear editor:
There was an article on the online Times on Monday about getting tourists and visitors to stop in the Fort when they cross the border.
This comes up every few years and about eight years ago or so, I suggested that for people to stop, we have to provide a place to actually stop.
As I said then, if you survey the tourist vehicles coming off the bridge, about 90 percent are towing an RV or a boat, or they are in a motor home towing a car! Even if they want to stop to shop or look around downtown, it’s very difficult for them.
Visualize yourself needing three-consecutive parking spots at once to stop anywhere close to downtown. How often could you do this when any stores were open?
The obvious answer would be to start procedures to expropriate the “mill” property that lies immediately east of the Customs area on the south side of Church Street. Then put up a huge “Free Parking” sign and as folks left Customs, many would pull in and stop.
When you enter the state of Florida from the Georgia border, they have a huge “Welcome Centre,” with lots of roomy parking and a sign that says “free orange juice.” It seems that about 95 percent of the vehicles that are not from Florida pull in and stop.
Is it the free juice, the roomy parking, or the fact that we are at our destination state? I believe it’s all three—and we could offer the same here.
Since the local mill no longer appears to seem too concerned about our community, and they themselves are disputing downwardly the value of their property, it would be an opportune time to acquire this property for the “good” of the town and its citizens.
While at it, the town should start proceedings to also get the wood yard property between the river and Scott Street from them.
Invite several large hotel/resort type properties to bid to put up a complex here with an indoor water park. Set this complex to one end of the location, leaving room for a casino in the future, then make that happen, too.
It would be a multi-year project but it is possible.
Some will say he’s crazy thinking too big, never happen, whatever! But we have to do something and many probably would agree that if the above scenario were all to happen, our town would have a secure, rosy future.
(Signed),
Bob Conlon
Fort Frances, Ont.