Rossburn welcoming a mini-boom

Saturday Free Press, Winnipeg, September 20, 2008 3
Rossburn welcoming a mini-boom
Cottage developments, entrepreneurship behind steady growth in Parkland community
Thomasina
Charney
and her
husband
Mark have
developed
a yurt
business
that they
hope will
attract
tourists
seeking
unusual
lodgings in
a peaceful
and scenic
setting.
By David Square
For the Free Press
R
OSSBURN – This town’s
economy is bustling
thanks to real estate
developments on nearby
lakes and a strong
entrepreneurial spirit.
“We were exceptionally busy this
summer,” says Lisa Leflar, branch
manager for Parkway Co-op.
Leflar says cabin and housing
starts on three lakes close to the
town have increased the number of
summer residents substantially.
“It’s been great for business,” she
says.
Parkway Co-op operates a convenience store and a large grocery,
employing about 25 full and part
time people including students.
Sunset Point, a new 63-lot
subdivision, is one of many new
ventures turning Rossburn into a
tourist draw.
“Construction of our fully
serviced development was just
completed and we’ve already got
two housing starts under way and
many lots spoken for,” says Gary
Sabeski, one of three partners.
Situated on the north shore of
Rossman Lake, a few kilometres
north and east of Rossburn, the
development has 37 lake front
properties priced from $49,500 and
26 back row sites priced from
$27,500, Sabeski says.
He says buyers are either local
or from Winnipeg, Brandon or
Alberta.
“They’re building year-round
cottages. Some have plans to use
them as retirement homes.”
The development is adjacent to
the beach and the Rossman Lake
Golf and Country Club, featuring a
nine hole, 2,625 yard golf course
with irrigated greens and bluegrass fairways.
World renowned Riding Mountain National Park is just a Tiger
Woods’ drive (well, perhaps a little
further) north.
With the economy heating up,
new entrepreneurs have invested
in local businesses. For example, a
few years ago, Lorne Lawless
returned to his home town here to
open an automotive and machinery
repair shop called L & M Services.
“From the moment I opened, I’ve
been overwhelmed with business
and working 18 hour days,” the
29-year-old entrepreneur says.
Lawless, a fully licensed journeyman mechanic, repairs everything
from cars and tractors to lawnmowers and windshields. He says
Rossburn offers tax incentives to
help new businesses get started.
“If you’ve got drive and determination, this is the place to start a
new venture,” says Lawless, who
employs a full time secretary and
an apprentice mechanic.
Another up and coming business
is Rossman Yurts, scheduled to
open this fall when the first of four
yurts (round-shaped Mongolian
tents) will be erected on the eastside of Rossman Lake.
Novel accommodation
“We’ll build a 24-foot yurt with a
canvas cover on the shore of the
lake by mid-October,” says
Thomasina Charney, who will
operate the yurt rental business
with her husband Mark.
She says eight people can sleep
comfortably in a large yurt and
hopes to attract tourists, business
groups and families interested in
staying in a novel accommodation
and communing with nature.
“It’s such a beautiful location
overlooking the lake, surrounded
by trees. We’ll be open year-round
so in winter cross-country skiing,
tobogganing and ice fishing will be
available to renters,” she says,
adding that three more yurts will
be built in early spring.
The rental cost will be about $99
per night for a party of four, with
an additional charge for extra
persons. All guests will be apprised
of the traditional Mongolian
greeting when entering a yurt –
“Hold the dogs.”
Another family business that has
been a boon to the local economy
since 1995 is Arrow Lake Ranch on
the edge of Riding Mountain
National Park, a one million acre
forest and game preserve.
O
wners Ray and Marylou
Lazaruk offer guided
fishing, as well as horseback riding, hiking and
snowmobiling on 17,000
acres of private land.
The ranch, which overlooks
scenic Arrow Lake, is north of
Rossburn and can be reached by
road. Amenities include a main
lodge, a two bedroom log cabin, a
log bunk cabin and a hot tub.
As well, boats, tackle and bait are
available on site and species of
sports fish include walleye, northern pike, perch and rainbow and
brown trout.
Ray Lazaruk says it is only a 30
minute drive to seven other lakes
where spin cast and fly fishing are
also excellent.
He says Arrow Lake Outfitters, a
new addition to the ranch, offers
sportsmen some of the best whitetail deer, waterfowl and upland
bird hunting to be found.
“We have experienced big game
guides and we are located on the
main North America flyway for
Snow and Lesser Canada Geese,”
says Lazaruk, adding that there is a
large population of Giant Canada
Geese and numerous species of
ducks.
Hunter Trucking has been a family business in Rossburn since 1968
when it was founded by Bob
Hunter, who now operates the business with son Brett.
A spokesperson says to remain
financially strong, the company
depends on a solid farm economy
and money spent by municipalities
to maintain local infrastructure.
“A lot of our business consists of
municipal contracts for gravelling
Want to learn more about Rossburn?
Visit its website at:
www.town.rossburn.mb.ca
roads and, to a lesser extent, on
excavation work.”
Agriculture has always been a
key sector of the Rossburn economy.
Jen Budiwski, agro-manager of
Twin Valley Co-op, says the company has had a strong financial year,
but high costs for fertilizers, chemicals and oil have been shouldered
by farmers.
Fortunately, unlike the Interlake,
she says crops were generally good
in the area but the number of farmers continues to decrease yearly.
Big sales to fewer farms
“Farming has become big
business. In the last 10 years, I’ve
seen a gradual decline in small
producers and a marked increase
in large agri-businesses with
thousands of acres.
“As a result, we’re selling more
products to fewer customers,” she
says.
T
win Valley has three full
time and seven part
time/seasonal employees,
selling a selection of
hardware as well as other
farm related products.
Another company that depends
on a strong agricultural economy
is Home Hardware.
Employee Marty Oliver says
even with the high cost of transportation – the company’s products
are shipped to Manitoba from
Ontario – his company has had a
good year.
“I think the influx of new people
who are building cottages in the
area has really bolstered sales,”
Oliver says.
“Some of these so called cottages
are 3,000 to 5,000 square feet and
are actually year-round residences.”
He says sales of small appliances, hardware, electrical and
plumbing supplies have been
strong due to increased demand
from the building sector.
“I think Rossburn is becoming a
hot tourist destination,” he adds.
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