By IAN ROSS
Northern Ontario Business
At least two data storage companies are interested in North Bay’s soon-to-be-vacated underground air defence facility, known locally as the Hole.
Since being elected, mayor Vic Fedeli has been looking at the three-storey underground bombproof complex as a potential data storage facility.
The Department of Defence is building a new above-ground facility at CFB North Bay, scheduled for completion in 2005, leaving the Hole up for grabs.
The underground complex sits under 700 feet of granite and is supported by large coils that offer extremely secure data protection, supplied by one of the largest fibre optic pipes that Bell Canada provides in Ontario.
Though Bell currently manages the fibre for DND, Fedeli says “it’s in their best interest to have an additional firm underground with the intent that Bell manages that for the new company.”
In promoting the Hole, Fedeli, plans to create a “very descriptive marketing package and (market it) to the five-largest data storage companies in the world, and to the 10-largest manufacturers of data storage equipment.” He also plans to market it to all of Ontario’s and Canada’s consular offices around the world.
“This is a big opportunity for a worldwide company to have an absolutely unique underground facility...” he says.
Fedeli met Dec. 7 with the CFB North Bay base commander on their “shared vision” for the use of the facility and will be meeting again in early January to begin transferring the complex over the next few years.
“I expect getting a data storage facility underground is likely a two- or three- year process. This will not happen overnight. This is big, big money.”
