If you've ever dreamed about sleeping under the stars in the presence of wolves — it's about to become reality.
An expansion at Cedar Meadows Resort is underway. This week, resort owner Richard Lafleur's project picked up $300,000 from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC). The Timmins business is one of 13 receiving cash in this round of funding.
Work on the wolf compound at Cedar Meadows, located on Norman Street, started in September.
There are five, two-bedroom chalets that can sleep up to four people, said Lafleur. One of the bedrooms will be inside and another one will have a glass roof and walls for people to experience sleeping under the stars and with the wolves.
“The wolves, they’re around you. You’re in the bed and they’ll be in your face,” he said.
With close to 10 acres of land for the wolf compound, Lafleur said they could accommodate up to 22 wolves. He's aiming to only house five to eight, though.
The goal is to have the expansion open this summer, said Lafleur.
Any of the NOHFC money that isn't used for the wolf compound will be used for another exciting project at the resort.
Work is ongoing on a lazy river that's in the shape of a moose head. Once it's complete, Lafleur hopes to have domes as part of it so that people can sleep under the stars.
For the NOHFC funding announcement, Minister of Northern Development Greg Rickford and Timmins MPP George Pirie were in town. The event was held at the Dante Club.
The other northeastern Ontario businesses reciving money are:
- $1,238,675 for L’Université de Hearst to modernize and add teaching space to its Hearst campus
- $500,000 for the Town of Kapuskasing to refurbish the exterior of its civic centre
- $400,000 for Lecours Lumber Co. Limited, a softwood lumber manufacturer in Calstock, to buy equipment
- $400,000 for Pineland Contracting, a wood supply and services company in Moonbeam, to buy equipment
- $341,960 for DCS Services LP, a mine site services and maintenance company in Cochrane, to buy equipment
- $256,400 for Maurice Welding, a custom steel fabrication shop in Kapuskasing, to buy and renovate the building it is currently leasing, as well as $98,352 for equipment
- $200,000 for the Township of Fauquier-Strickland to refurbish the exterior of its community centre
- $151,351 for Moonbeam Machine Shop & Welding to expand its facility and buy equipment
- $120,541 for Northern Truss, a wood products manufacturer in Moonbeam, to construct a new building and buy a truck
- $81,000 for the Local Services Board of Hallebourg to renovate its community centre
- $35,706 for Attawapiskat Pharmacy Inc. to establish a community pharmacy in Attawapiskat First Nation.
