Heather Latter
Following a request from local BIA chair Doug Anderson in March regarding the implementation of a nuisance bylaw, the Town of Fort Frances has received recommendations from the Police Services Board and the Planning and Executive committee to begin looking into one.
Citing the petty vandalism occurring throughout town, Anderson brought forth the nuisance bylaw instated in the Town of Whitby as a solution—or at least a partial one—for Fort Frances council to consider.
Whitby’s public nuisance bylaw “prohibits a variety of rowdy and undesirable activities, including urinating in public, use of profane language, fighting, carrying open liquor, damaging property, littering, and public intoxication.”
It seems downtown business owners in Fort Frances are just as frustrated with the ongoing problems as business owners were in Whitby.
A petition—signed by 26 downtown business owners—was submitted to Club 88 and its patrons in April, which they believe to be the source of much of the vandalism, fighting, and loud behaviour.
“This is to advise you that if we are called one more time because of broken windows or other disturbances, we will do everything we can do to ensure that Club 88 loses its liquor license,” the petition stated.
It also asked patrons of the downtown club to refrain from urinating, puking, and spitting on the fronts of buildings and wiping out flowers.
The petition went on to request patrons stop screaming, fighting, and shouting loudly in the wee hours of the morning as there are tenants in upstairs apartments who are trying to sleep.
As well, Club 88 was asked to pay the affected business owners for the damages which have occurred in the past few months, such as broken windows.
“We are sure that if the above is adhered to, we can all get along and the young people will have a good place to go,” the petition concluded.
The Town of Whitby’s report noted that “public nuisance bylaws provide police services with an enforcement tool used to quell undesirable behaviours that may not cross the criminal threshold.”
And that is what local businesses hope to achieve.
At its regular meeting Monday night, council approved the recommendation, which will direct the appropriate town departments to begin researching all Town of Fort Frances municipal bylaws, along with neighbouring bylaws, which would/could be implemented in a nuisance bylaw.
They also will direct that the appropriate stakeholders begin the process of examining all of the necessary elements to have a draft nuisance bylaw created.
Once a draft bylaw is created, council will ensure a public communications plan is implemented to allow the public to provide staff with valuable feedback regarding the draft bylaw, its scope, etc.
In addition, after each of these steps have occurred, a report will be submitted to the Planning and Development executive committee for its final recommendation on a nuisance bylaw to council.
