TRENTON – Closures affecting the Town of Trenton by Nova Forge and NSLC have sparked the ire of Trenton’s Town Council.
Mayor Mayor Glen MacKinnon read statement that indicated council’s shock and frustration.
“Our Main Street has been reduced to a few businesses over the years,” it read. “Trenton Council was taken by surprise when the [NSLC] announced it would be closing its Trenton store.”
The store closed its doors permanently on Jan. 27.
The mayor said the council had met with representatives of NSLC as recently as Nov. 19, 2012 and no indication was given the store was in danger of closing.
Terri Mosher, external communications manager for the NSLC indicated the primary reason for the stores’ closing was financial.
“Since about 2007 sales have declined about 26 per cent,” she said.
Sales in the fiscal year ending March 2007 at the store were $2.1 million, but for the fiscal year that ended March 2012, they had dropped to $1.6 million. Some years in between had dropped as low as $1.4 million, Mosher said.
Council said their plans to revitalize Trenton’s Main Street, imitated in 2006 are now in jeopardy.
“Council is extremely frustrated; this business has been a part of Trenton since 1958. This is a Crown corporation that closed its doors to the taxpayers of Trenton.”
The mayor also noted council’s anxiety with the closure of the Nova Forge on Jan. 8.
Financial pressures, competitor’s access to cheaper energy and a fire in January 2012 sealed the fate of the forge.
“Council was not involved or engaged in that decision,” said MacKinnon. “Nonetheless, we’ll be looking into what’s next for the property and other assets.”
Earlier in the meeting and on a more jubilant note, Mayor MacKinnon received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
"I'm very thankful to have been recognized with this medal," he said.
.jpg){kind=small}
I'm sure lots of people in the town of trenton feel EXACTLY! The same way !!!