Sylvie Paillard
spaillard@squamishchief.com
Another prime piece of downtown oceanfront real estate is ready to be snapped up and buyers are showing interest, according to a spokesperson for Interfor, the property's owner.
The Mamquam Blind Channel property on Galbraith Road formerly used as a dryland sort by Interfor and Elaho Logging was cleared of its remaining equipment and machinery last week.
The move puts Elaho Logging "in limbo" according to its safety director, Jack Welch.
"Were going to be working, we don't know where we're going to be sorting," he said. "We would like to lease it off anyone who buys it."
Interfor's departure from Squamish started with the Jan. 2004 announcement of a significant reduction in Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 38 operations, followed by the announcement of the permanent closure of the Squamish Lumber sawmill. Interfor reached an agreement in 2005 that would see Elaho take over logging in TFL 38 and use the site for its dryland sorting.
"They [Elaho] were using that dryland sort up until the late fall and now that's over and now that equipment's being sold off," said Interfor spokesperson Andy King.
The site has been for sale for an undisclosed sum since mid-2005 and Interfor has received "more than one" expression of interest, said King. King couldn't discuss details of any negotiations, but said the company is entertaining all offers.
"I guess the one who has the best price will be the most interesting," he said. "We have to entertain all offers and we sift through them and we make the best deal for ourselves."
The Oceanfront Development Corp., the District of Squamish corporation that owns the Nexen lands adjacent to the dryland sort, would love to purchase the property, but is in no position to do so, according to its CEO Mike Chin.
There are also no plans for TFL 38's newest owners, the Squamish Nation company Northwest Squamish Limited Forestry Partnership, to purchase the property for its own logging operations.
"This Tree Farm 38 with Northwest is so new that at this point we're not ready to comment on what direction anything's going because we're just presently working things out," said Steve Miles, one of the company's managers.
