March 2017 | Business View Magazine

176 177 Tecumseh, Ontario a network of trails that run parallel to the new parkway, and we’re connecting to another 60 ki- lometers worth of trails that begin in our com- munity with access to several municipalities in Essex County. So there’s continuing work.” The Town is a five-time recipient of the Gord Smith Healthy Workplace and Bike Friendly Workplace awarded by the Windsor-Essex Health Unit. These awards are for its initiatives with Town staff and its dedication to promoting a healthy workplace and lifestyle. Finally, Tecumseh is constantly looking at ways to implement green initiatives to exist- ing or new facilities.When the Tecumseh Are- na was under construction, solar panels were implemented into the design to provide power. “There are roughly 2,200 panels producing 500 kilowatts,” McNamara explains. “For three years, it was the largest, on-roof solar project in all of Canada.We also improved the lighting, re-insu- lated the facility, and added a new dehumidifi- cation system.We retrofitted most of our public buildings to eliminate some of the inefficient operations. And just recently, we completed our LED street lamp exchange and conversion.We received our first installment in terms of energy savings – just under $200,000.” Tecumseh has been busy over the last five years working on various infrastructure im- provement projects totaling more than $60 million. At the recent State of the Town event in February, the Mayor announced further infrastruc- ture work totaling almost $10 million in the Old- castle industrial park.This work will allowmany of the businesses in the area to expand and provides attractive relocation options for businesses want- ing to move into the area. During his speech, the Mayor mentioned several businesses that had recently started up in Town and reiterated that there is always room for more. “We love new businesses in Tecumseh.” Tecumseh prides itself on being a healthy, livable town, with a commitment to sustainable, planned development and an appropriate range and mix of residential, industrial, institutional, and recreational amenities that meet the cur- rent and long-term needs of its residents. It is truly the jewel of Essex County. Preferred vendor n Essex Energy Corp. www.essexenergy.ca