Mudtown Station is proud to be a part of the vibrant community of Owen Sound and we have been overwhelmed by the wonderful welcome we have been given. It has been a long path to take a nearly derelict building and turn it into a new enterprise that is unique and thriving and we would like to thank the community, the council and staff of the City of Owen Sound, our investors and our staff for showing faith in Mudtown. The great weather this summer has also helped.
We are pleased to see the east harbour becoming a destination and we are confident that new businesses, residents and even boaters coming into the inner harbour will continue to increase. We know from chatting with our customers that many are coming specifically to Owen Sound to see the former CPR station transformation and sample our innovative menu and selection of craft beer.
Despite the recent controversy, we know the negotiations with the City were conducted in a professional manner and the resulting lease agreement was fair for both parties. While there may be those who feel that the deal was unfair or lacked transparency we do not agree as we followed the process we were given and negotiated a unique arrangement befitting this unique property. Throughout this process we were happy to be able to work with the progressive city council and staff of the city of Owen Sound. This partnership has created a special place called Mudtown Station out of an abandoned CPR station and we are proud of that.
The City, as landlord, contributed significantly to the basic restoration and infrastructure costs of the building and did receive some grant money to offset some of these costs, but we want to make clear that our investment in the building is far greater the figure quoted in the Sun Times article of $335,000. As is common in a major renovation to a historical building, we encountered unexpected work and consequent costs. We were able to complete the project thanks to the great tradespeople who worked for months to help us achieve our dream, the City which honoured the deal we made, and our investors and financers who took the leap of faith to support us in a business with no guaranteed returns.
We feel that Mudtown Station is a worthy addition the fabric of Owen Sound as our food and craft beer offerings are creating a new dining niche in the area, it has created new jobs and tax revenue in the city and is a cornerstone for development in the east harbour area. We will continue to do our best to be a willing and productive partner in moving forward the vision of this city and surrounding area as both a destination and as the place where you want to live!
Harold Kloeze, President of Mudtown Station Inc.
