Good location, should do well.

Too bad about Safeway not returning now after all! I like the confidence that RONA is demonstrating in the economic future of this city!

Business people do a lot of research before they commit themselves to a new investment such as this one.

Obviously, they gave it a thumbs up!

Good news, indeed!

Diplomat. Sometimes it has nothing to do with research and everything to do with staying with your competition, you either hang with them or your hanging out.

One would think that with Irly Bird, Home Hardware (Central), Windsor Plywood, Home Depot, and others that there would be sufficient stores available for this population base.

I suggest that someone is going to go broke.

Time will tell.

What a great location for RONA. Looking forward to it.
Ain't it great...

I just hope that the city planners do not screw up this development as well concerning access to the roadway. Westgate had good potential but then it all becomes a bottle neck at the Walmart corner. Not enough turn lane space or proper lights. I wonder if they will learn the lesson. It all ready is very hard to turn left out of superstore at some times of the day. There should be at least an exit from superstore right onto hwy 16.

I wonder if Canadian Tire will survive this.

Owl: "I wonder if Canadian Tire will survive this. "

Only if they improve their service. Lately I have been frustrated by not being able to find prices on quite a few items, not in the aisle and not on the items.

One is forced to carry the thing to a scanner or to the till since staff is usually non-available by being too busy elsewhere, far away.

The store, in my opinion, is far too large and the one in Quesnel, though smaller, is far better organized and much cleaner.

I agree. I used to frequent the old store on almost a weekly basis, especially in the summer. It was a bit "tight" both inside and outside, but it was much easier to shop. I have not been in the new place for about a year and no longer include it in any comparison shopping I do for larger items.

I don’t know much about RONA or what their product is, but I have to say, I played Baseball at Monty Gabriel for 6 years, and I think I am going to miss the place. I realize that there is a BRAND NEW ball park, but there is just something about Monty that can not be replaced.

I don’t know much about RONA or what their product is, but I have to say, I played Baseball at Monty Gabriel for 6 years, and I think I am going to miss the place. I realize that there is a BRAND NEW ball park, but there is just something about Monty that can not be replaced.

The property that is housing the Super Store, and now Rona, used to be the Prince George Airport. This property was given to the City by the Federal Government when the Airport was moved to its present location after the 2nd World War. The property was to be used for recreational purposes only, and was for many years. The City was finally able to get the property for Commercial use by relocating the Ball Fields, Horseshoe Pits, etc:

Now just as a matter of interest to those who cannot remember. The property in Carrie Jane Grey park where the new ball fields are located used to be a huge *Slough*, and also the City dump was located in the area. The slough and dump were filled in over the years however water still runs through this area by culverts and canals to South Fort George and into the Fraser River. The area on the North Nechako where they built the new ball diamonds was, and to some extent still is an old gravel pit, and was subject to seepage when the river was high prior to the bulding of the Kenny Dam.

My point is this. The City has been able to get good prime land for commercial development, in exchange for building ball diamonds (Albeit good ones) on land that could not be used for commercial development.

What I have a hard time following is the paper trail on all these transactions. The city got this property for basically nothing and will be selling it for Millions of dollars. Does this money go into general revenue and disappear into the sunset or what??

With the pending tax increases it is pretty obvious that it is not being used to reduce taxes.

On the other hand Im sure someone at City Hall would say that if they had not sold the property then taxes would have had to be raised to provide services. Thats their usual line.

We need a comprehensive audit of City Spending for the past 10 Years looking at all projects etc to get a good look at how well we are handling our money, and what we are planning to spend it on for the next 10 years.