Staff
The demolition of the former Huffman School is expected to be completed by tomorrow, Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown told council at its regular meeting last night.
General contractor Wagner Construction Canada ULC, which hired Mike Carmody Contracting to demolish the school, then will rebuild Williams Avenue between Third and Fifth Street East before constructing Huffman Drive—the new cul-de-sac for the subdivision.
“The super-structures [are] down,” Brown noted.
“They are working on hammering out the foundation and should be gone by Wednesday.”
Brown said the crew also has set up the temporary water line for Williams Avenue, and they’ll be starting the rest of the work later this week.
“They have six hydrants and six water valves that have to be replaced throughout the town,” he added, noting the project is going well.
Meanwhile, Brown updated council on a second project—the reconstruction of Second Street East between Mowat Avenue and Central Avenue, followed by Mowat Avenue between Second and Third Street East.
He noted Makkinga Contracting will be on-site beginning July 2 setting up the temporary water line.
“Sometime during the week, I don’t know the exact date, but the traffic lights at [Central Avenue and Second/Third], the main intersection in town, are going to be shut down,” Brown added.
He said there will be two ways of traffic at this time.
“Coming northbound on Central Avenue, turning westbound onto Third, or coming eastbound on Third Street and going southbound onto Central,” he noted.
“Trucks at the border will be directed to go westbound at Church and Mowat and go up Central,” he continued.
“Eastbound trucks will follow the same route.”
Brown said emergency response units will be notified of this.
Also at last night’s meeting, council:
•accepted a clean, unqualified financial audit, with a general operating surplus of $8,155 at the end of 2012;
•directed that the Traffic Control Bylaw be amended to reflect the proposed traffic amendments to accommodate the “Kiss ’N Ride” programs at Robert Moore, J.W. Walker, and St. Francis schools, and directed that modified calendar parking on Fourth Street West from Cornwall Avenue to York Avenue be removed;
•approved travel and per diem claims for Mayor Roy Avis in the amount of $1,399.43 (for a meeting with the Assessment Working Group in Toronto on June 12-13);
•approved a recommendation from the Administration and Finance executive committee to donate $1,000 to the Boundary Waters Dragon Boat Festival for 2013 (the dragon boat races are slated for July 1);
•agreed that a service agreement be developed in regards to supplying water for 35 Oakwood Rd. in the Township of Alberton (the property owners will be responsible for all costs and be considered non-residential metered water customers);
•directed that the appropriate bylaw be amended to designate a loading/unloading zone in front of 308 Butler Ave.;
•approved a report from Community Services manager Jason Kabel re: the Community Museum Operating Grant (CMOG) 2013-2014;
•approved a report from Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown, which will authorize the mayor and clerk to execute the Phase 2 MHSW funding agreement with the Recycling Council of Ontario on behalf of the Town of Fort Frances; and
•approved a report from Fire Chief/CEMC Frank Sheppard re: Post Community Contract.
