10 new jobs for RR

Ken Johnston

Rainy River Town Council received a letter and a personal visit from local Gameland Wood Products proprietor Robert Tolen Thursday night.
Tolen was inquiring with the town about accessing incentives, possibly tax breaks, via the town’s Community Improvement Program (CIP) for a major expansion of his business.
Tolen was busy last year manufacturing shelf brackets for NorFab in Fort Frances. That saw him employ two other men. He told council he has an opportunity to do some major wood product manufacturing here in Rainy River that would see at least 10 jobs created.
Tolen wanted to know if council had any suggestions where he could locate or if the town would be opposed to him erecting a temporary quanson hut on the property he is on now. He is currently located at 716 Atwood Ave (the old Border Service station).
Council said that Chief Building Official Frank Berg could look at his proposal and let him know. As for other space, council said perhaps space in the town garage could be made available, but Tolen said the town would have to move out of that building completely to meet his needs.
Tolen also asked if he could have permission to park employee vehicles on town property across the highway from his current location.
Mayor Glen Armstrong asked Property Committee Chair Gerry Marchuk to meet with Tolen and bring recommendations back to council. Tolen pushed council noting, “I have a deadline and I have to decide what I am doing. If I can’t do it here I may have to move to another locale.”
Councillor Ed Tymkin raised the option of giving Tolen some land across the tracks. “We have all that vacant land over there. Why not give him some?”
Tolen is facing a March 1st deadline to get things in full production and is hopeful that he can keep his company in Rainy River.