O’Leary plans retail centre

Mayor hopes it will be up and running by July 1

O’Leary residents could soon have more shopping options as the town looks to have a new three-store strip mall built and opened by July 1.

“The benefit is that we’ll be able to accept more businesses inside the town,” said O’Leary Mayor Eric Gavin on Tuesday.

The town issued a request for proposals (RFP) on March 19 for a builder for the new 10,000 square-foot O’Leary retail centre that will be located at 474 Main St. in the vacant lot next to Home Hardware. The town will own the retail centre and lease out the spaces. The RFP closed on Thursday.

“We’ve been talking to contractors on and off. And, it’s just a very simple box store. There’s really not a lot of walls inside of it (and) sitting on a slab. They know they can possibly build this within two months to two-and-a-half months.’’ O’Leary Mayor Eric Gavin

Gavin said the idea for a new strip mall has been tossed around for several years but never materialized. He said a cost estimate on the project will be clearer once the tender is awarded.

The plan is to have the building at least partially completed by July 1 for one retailer on the south end of the building.

“We’ve been talking to contractors on and off. And, it’s just a very simple box store. There’s really not a lot of walls inside of it (and) sitting on a slab. They know they can possibly build this within two months to two-and-a-half months,” he said.

Gavin said other retailers have already expressed interest in locating in the new strip mall. There is also room for expansion in case more retailers want to lease space, he said.

Gavin said the project has been approved by council. As well, the response from residents has been positive, he said. The next step is for council to meet and award the tender.

“If all our ducks are in a row and everything goes good, we’re hoping by maybe next week or so that we’ll be able to say, ‘here’s who’s going to build it, and let’s get at ‘er.’”