Duane Hicks
Preliminary plans for the vacant Rainy Lake Hotel to be levelled and redeveloped as a “Mainstreet Market Square” were unveiled at a public meeting last night at the Legion.
The market square may contain a gateway paying homage to the former Rainy Lake Hotel (possibly using some of the bricks from the original building), market stalls, a band shelter, outdoor heaters, trees, and public washrooms.
The concept has been recommended by a committee tasked by the town with reviewing potential uses for the property, which has been vacant since 2005, not drawn any interest from the private sector, and increasingly has become prohibitive to repair, explained Rainy River Future Development Corp. consultant Tannis Drysdale, who conducted last night’s presentation.
“A market square can contain a lot of different things,” she noted. “Street markets that include fresh food and produce, crafts and jewellery, art, music and entertainment, bazaars.
“They also provide a greenspace in the middle of the downtown—a place for people to sit, to play, and to come together,” she added.
Drysdale said the committee wants the market to play a role the Rainy Lake Hotel had played in the community over the years and be “a gathering place.”
The plans are based on a study the BIA had commissioned from consultants Hilderman, Thomas, Frank and Cram.
Preliminary estimates put a $1.6-million price tag on the project, including $900,000 for demolition and $700,000 for site preparation, landscaping, and construction.
Drysdale said that because the site would be a tourism draw, and an opportunity to encourage downtown modernization and economic development as opposed to simply demolition, senior government may take an interest in it.
Ideally, the project could be paid for through a funding partnership consisting of FedNor and Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp. grants ($420,000 each), and local dollars ($760,000).
Local funding could be through the town, as well as partners like the BIA and Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce.
Drysdale said the idea has been supported by the BIA, Chamber, and museum advisory committee.
Now the Rainy Lake review committee, which consists of representatives of the Town of Fort Frances, BIA, Chamber, and RRFDC, with the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry serving in an advisory capacity, is looking for the public’s input on it.
Anyone with ideas can e-mail Drysdale at ecdev@fort-frances.com
There is no timeline to get the Mainstreet Market Square project done, but Drysdale noted the committee would like to make a recommendation to council later this spring.
Drysdale said at that point, it’s totally up to council to do what it feels is appropriate, whether that means making a decision on it or not, or perhaps seek funding before agreeing to it.
About 20 people attended last night’s meeting, which featured some discussion about the condition of the hotel and if it’s a liability to the town if it is not demolished.
There also were questions about parking and traffic flow, how will the project be paid for, and who would maintain the market square if it becomes a reality.
Drysdale stressed the project only is in a conceptual stage, but conceded at least some of these details will have to be defined within the committee’s recommendation to council.
