Eager developers will be crossing their fingers Friday as the envelopes are picked in the commercial allocation draw. Only six projects are in the mix this year, a relatively low number compared to previous years, according to Parks Canada.

This is the fourth year that the draw will be run and there are an estimated 17,000 square feet up for grabs this time around. Parks started the process in 2003 with a little more than 100,000 square feet available, said townsite manager Barry Romanko.

This amount was split between three separate designations: 55,000 square feet for retail and restaurant development (C1) was allotted, 35,000 for space on S block (the industrial park) and 15,000 square feet worth of hotel or accommodation space (C2). All of this last amount has already been distributed, which explains the relatively low number of applicants this year, Romanko said.

The draw, which is open to the public, is supervised by a chartered accounting firm that draws from a pool of applicant envelopes that include the amount of space required for the project in question. As the draw proceeds, the space drawn is counted against the total available until such time that there is insufficient space available for the remaining projects in the pot.

Should the final project drawn slightly exceed the amount of space available, it will be approved.

“We don’t do partial allocations,” said Romanko. “We’ll go over our amount and take it off the total allocation for the next year.”

While there is no C2 available in this draw, that situation could change in the future. Every project drawn is on a tight timeline, with developers given just one year to obtain a building permit. Several of the projects drawn into the C2 pool have not been approved.

“It looks like we may have some (C2 space) on the next draw when that space is put back in,” Romanko said.

The balance between classifications may be further altered within the next 12 months, as the division of allocations is reviewed as part of the community planning review process, he added.

“It’s part of a joint community planning process we are working on with the municipality. We hope that within the next year we’ll be well into that process.”

According to the original plan for commercial allocation, 2006 was supposed to be the penultimate year of the draw. It’s likely to have to last a while longer, Romanko said.

“Originally, it was going to be five years, but based on the fact that we are having a lot of space come back into the draw I would say that we’re likely to have one or two more draws.”

The excitement begins at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow (Friday, February 24) in the Grand Trunk Pacific Boardroom of the train station. All applicants, successful or otherwise, will be notified within two weeks of the outcome.