Business Experiments with Courtyard.

From Kathy Dobson, Sarnia Journal.

The Courtyard is an unexpected place.

Tucked behind a large downtown building, it’s like sitting in your own backyard, except there’s food and beverage service. There’s tunes too, frequently provided by live musicians on a newly-constructed cedar stage.

There’s outdoor lighting but there’s also night breezes and starry skies when the weather is good.

“The vision was always to do this back here,” says owner Mark Woolsey, a local realtor who is redeveloping most of the block.

When Woolsey took possession of 146 and 148 Christina St. in March, he absorbed the liquor licence of the former Ravenous Gastropub and Trinity Lounge that occupied the building for years, making it possible to get his new licenced venue opened asap.

“I always wanted to buy this property. I see a lot of potential here,” said Woolsey.

The Courtyard debuted during Artwalk in June. A fresh layer of green astroturf is surrounded by brick walls, fencing, and enough cedar benches and tables for 150 patrons.

“We’re trying to do something a bit different,” said operations manager Mia Clarke. She built the food menu around shareables like flatbread ($13.50), charcuterie boards (serves 4-6 for $21.50) and giant soft pretzels ($8).

Link to the rest here.

Images. Google Maps, Google Street View.

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Origin Materials Demo Plant Under Construction.

From Paul Morden, Sarnia Observer.

Origin Materials’ demonstration plant planned for Sarnia is under construction, but just not where city residents are likely to see it yet.

The California-based bio-chemical company has been planning for more than a year to set up a “pioneer” plant on land at the Arlanxeo site in Sarnia to demonstrate its technology for producing bio-based chemicals for use in making plastic and other products.

The plant was announced in June 2017, along with an investment in the company through Sarnia-based Bioindustrial Innovation Canada’s Sustainable Chemistry Alliance fund.

“We’ve been fabricating and procuring all of the major pieces of equipment,” said John Bissell, CEO and co-founder of Origin Materials.

The plant is being constructed in modules being fabricated at sites around North America. 

Those modules will be shipped to the Sarnia plant site, which is an approximately 2-acre piece of land at Arlanxeo, next to Vidal Street.

Bissell said local civil, electrical and mechanical site construction work is expected to go out for bids in the next “couple of months.”

There are advantages to modular construction of a bio-chemical plant but one downside is that “you don’t end up getting the visual progression of the project, locally,” he said.

“A bunch of stuff happens off-site that you don’t see.”

Before the modules that will make up the plant are delivered, on-site work will be required to lay pipe and set up electrical connections and other site preparations.

“That will start pretty soon,” Bissell said.

Link to the rest here.

Images. Origin Materials, Zach Neal.

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Local Delegation Pushing for Oversize Load Corridor.

From Tyler Kula, Sarnia Observer.

A delegation including Lambton County’s warden is staying on top of the push for provincial funding for a local oversized load corridor.

Bill Weber, along with other Sarnia-Lambton politicians and bureaucrats, is scheduled to meet with the parliamentary assistant to Infrastructure Minister Monte McNaughton at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference in Ottawa Aug. 18-22.

“We want to make sure everybody is aware of what needs to get done,” said Weber.

Meetings have been held previously with McNaughton, MPP for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, and Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey, who’ve both expressed support for the $12-million road improvement project – designed to let oversized modules from local fabricators pass unencumbered and thereby more cheaply to Sarnia Harbour.

The City of Sarnia, the county, St. Clair Township, and the Sarnia Lambton Industrial Alliance – a group of local fabricators and industrial service companies – have collectively pledged $6 million and have said they plan to start aspects of the project imminently.

Previous pushes for federal and provincial funding have been unsuccessful, but a new government at Queen’s Park has the group trying again.

Link to the rest here.

Image. Courtesy of Bill Weber.

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