Despite not seeing any funding specifically earmarked in the 2003 town budget for a centennial mural project, the “Re-Inventing Fort Frances” committee is keeping its chin up and looking forward.
“We’re still hopeful,” said committee chair Susan Bodnarchuk. “There are some other things going.”
While it has nothing to do with funding for a mural, one future possibility is a partnership with the Ontario Realty Corp., which has expressed a “keen desire” to explore building a new Ontario Travel Information Centre here.
A new travel centre, which is part of “Re-Inventing’s” long-term plans to drastically alter Church Street, is a “can’t miss” opportunity, said Bodnarchuk.
The committee is expecting a conference call with the ORC in the next week.
Bodnarchuk added a meeting last Friday with local MP Robert Nault, also the minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, saw him as “very supportive” of the project.
“If we can get things started, the federal government should want to participate again, as well as the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp.,” she remarked.
Town council turned down the group’s request for the $80,000—one-third of the cost of the proposed $240,000 mural that would be shared with the provincial and federal governments—after a second presentation by Bodnarchuk, vice-chair Sam Woods, and committee member Larry Syrovy on Monday night.
“The request for funding is ahead of their final report,” noted CAO Bill Naturkach, who added he was split on the issue as a member of the “Re-Inventing” committee.
“As your administrator, I cannot support that. It’s not to say the issue is over with,” he said. “When you see the report, you may want to reconsider what we can do in 2003.”
“When we discuss this, keep in mind it will hinge on the other two levels of government’s support,” remarked Mayor Glenn Witherspoon.
Council ultimately decided to leave the committee’s funding request out of the 2003 budget because of a lack of a final report from consultant Jeff Frank of Hilderman, Thomas, Frank and Cram (HTFC).
The “Re-Inventing” committee is waiting for that report, which is due sometime early next month. A second public open house also will be held sometime shortly afterwards.
“I guess we’ll just hang in there and wait for the report,” said Bodnarchuk. “But we definitely want to keep the momentum going.”
A second last-minute request to be included in the 2003 budget from the Chamber of Commerce for a sprinkler system for the ’52 Canadians Arena was moved to the 2004 budget process, council agreed Monday night.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
