Fort William Rotary Club president wants more talks on Wilderness Discovery

The president of the Fort William Rotary Club says he hasn't heard much from the province lately about where negotiations are to try and save a unique wilderness retreat in northwestern Ontario.

Robert Hookham's group is part of a partnership consisting of rotary and kinsmen clubs in the city, trying to secure a future for the Wilderness Discovery Resort, located on a 2.75 hectare piece of crown land on Lake Shebandowan, after HAGI Community Services for Independence let its lease expire on the property in 2015.

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"We've been talking about this back-and-forth for over a year ... and to me, I don't understand what the holdup is," Hookham said.

At issue is the partnership attempting to negotiate a below-market value lease or purchase price for the crown land, saying it can't afford the full price, plus do hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of capital work on the site.

There were some ideas submitted to government officials earlier in 2016, Hookham said, as well as discussions with Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro and then-Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure Brad Duguid.

Since then, Hookham said, he hasn't heard much; in addition, the June cabinet shuffle turned the infrastructure ministry, which oversees crown land and real estate, into a stand-alone portfolio with a new minister Bob Chiarelli.

"Exactly where we stand with negotiations at this point, I don't think anybody is really sure, so we could be starting all over again," Hookham said.

Talks planned this summer: Mauro

Mauro confirmed to CBC News that he intends to speak with Chiarelli this summer about the camp.

"The minister's now been in his portfolio for a little while and the next time we're together, we'll have an opportunity to talk about this," he said.

Mauro added that he doesn't believe the talks will have to start "from ground zero again," as he said he's hopeful that ministry staff will still have information on, and knowledge of, the issue.

In addition, "to bring someone up to speed on this file won't take a great deal of time," he said. "I don't think that will be a difficult circumstance for us."

September deadline looming

Hookham said he's also keeping his eye on a September 30 deadline to have a deal done, worrying that the clock is ticking.

"We've been told that ... we've got that date to come up with a plan," he said. "However, we can't come up with a plan until we know what we're planning for," adding that the biggest part of setting a budget and financial plan is knowing the up-front cost to acquire the land.

Mauro said that his role will continue to be to work with the group and government to see what can be done.

"In my role as the MPP for Thunder Bay-Atikokan that we're advocating to the appropriate minister and ministry to see what may be possible."