WOULD-BE POT GROWER READY TO HUNKER DOWN

First it was the Diefenbunker and now, if Innisfail entrepreneur Loren
Wiberg gets his way, it could be the Reeferbunker.

Wiberg, 49, started ZYX Corporation to secure a federal grant to grow
medicinal marijuana, and he figures the Cold War relic near the now-
defunct Canadian Forces Base Penhold, 15 kilometres south of Red Deer,
is the best place to do it.

"I was looking at the bunker and I thought it could be perfect," said
Wiberg.

He heard a news story about the federal government's plan to issue a $5-
million contract to grow medicinal marijuana for clinical trials in
May. He applied for the grant not because he's a pot activist, but as a
business venture.

The only problem is Red Deer County has called for tenders to demolish
the bunker, built in 1964, a legacy of prime minister John
Diefenbaker's defence policies.

The purpose of the two-level, 70,000 square foot-bunker was to shelter
government leaders in the case of a nuclear attack. It was one of 10
built across Canada, constructed to withstand a nearby nuclear blast
and house up to 350 people for 30 days.

The county is offering $500,000 to destroy the bunker, which has 38-
centimetre-thick concrete walls and 15-centimetre-thick steel doors.

County officials fear the bunker falling into the hands of survivalists
or an outlaw motorcycle gang.

The Hells Angels tried to buy the fortress for $1.3 million US when it
was owned by a pair of Red Deer businessmen. It has since been sold
back to the government for $1.25 million.

Wiberg is appealing to the county to hold off demolition, at least
until late fall when he expects Health Canada to make a decision on who
will get the marijuana research contract.

If he gets the contract, he'd pay the half-million dollars to buy the
structure, or lease it from the government so it never falls into
private hands.

The appeal of the bunker is its security features.

Wiberg doesn't want to just grow the 1,865 kilograms of pot for the
study just anywhere, saying he'd be worried about the safety of the
workers.

But, if he gets the Diefenbunker, he'll hire the former base commander
of CFB Penhold to run security. Once it's set up there's no way you'd
have to worry about criminals," Wiberg said.

No one from the county could be reached for comment about the bunker
Thursday.

- -with a report from Canandian Press