A Spotlight on Manitoulin Living: November '05: Entrepreneur

René Proulx couldn't explain the sense of coming home he felt when he visited Manitoulin Island.

November 2005 (Gore Bay) -- On New Year’s Day 2002, René and Murielle Proulx sat wondering if they could still keep up their 25-acre hobby farm in Eastern Ontario.  In 1996 René had retired from a 34 year career in sales and management with a multi-national company.  After René underwent heart by-pass surgery in late 2001, the couple thought they would have to give up their wonderful property and move to a condominium near Ottawa.

In February 2002, their son asked René to accompany him to Manitoulin Island where he was going for a job interview with Manitoulin Transport.  Remembering a trip he had taken in that area with Murielle in the 60’s, especially the beautiful white rocks of the LaCloche Mountains, René readily agreed.

The day of the interview was a beautiful sunny winter day.  René took the opportunity to drive around and explore the area while his son was involved in the day-long process.  He was struck by the beauty of the small town of Gore Bay (see a picture), nestled between two bluffs and sitting at the end of a long narrow bay.  Although he finds it hard to explain, the more he drove around, the more he felt at home.  Upon returning home he spoke of this feeling to Murielle, and they agreed to visit the Island together in the spring.

In April of that year they spent three days in Gore Bay and purchased a house!  Now they enjoy curling, fishing, golfing and motorcycling, all within 3 km of their house.  After living 3 years in the town, they decided to plant their roots even deeper by investing in the community.  They have purchased two retail businesses; one managed by their son and the other by their daughter-in-law.

René and Murielle are extremely pleased at how welcome they have been made to feel in their new community, just as they could not have asked for better support when they began operating their retail businesses.  In turn, Gore Bay and Manitoulin Island have been enriched by the presence of the Proulx family.

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