Heather Latter
Town council passed a resolution at its regular meeting Monday night supporting the closing of the government dock on Sand Bay to the public as of July 10.
But further to that, the town is requesting people abide by the warning to stay off it.
“We’ve posted the dock accordingly. We’ve deemed it to be unsafe,” Fort Frances CAO Mark McCaig said.
“Since that time, I have seen people out there.
“So just a cautionary note—you do so at your own risk,” he stressed. “That activity is not endorsed or condoned by the town.”
McCaig said noted parents need to be aware that the government dock is a dangerous place to be.
“There are boards that have deteriorated on the dock,” he warned.
“There’s open spike nailheads that a kid could easily catch a toe on and damage a toe.”
Having inspected the dock along with Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown, McCaig added there’s one section that is disjointed in the middle and is basically floating.
“You can feel it giving,” he remarked. “So we strongly suggest you heed the warnings not to go on the dock.”
Brown indicated as a result of the higher-than-normal water level of Rainy Lake this spring and summer, the wave action compromised the structural integrity of a section of the wooden dock about halfway to the outer dock.
Administration closed the dock to public use on July 10, when a sign and a concrete barrier were installed near the access point.
“We have four signs up now that were ordered with proper wording that the insurance company wanted on them,” Brown explained, noting two signs are posted at the middle of the dock while one is placed at the end and one at the shoreline.
He added a claim has been put in with the insurance company since nature created the problems at the dock.
“We’re really not aware of where we stand on that,” Brown conceded.
However, he said an insurance adjuster has been in contact and has taken photos of the dock, and is reviewing the policy at this time.
“So basically, the Point Park dock is closed until further notice,” Brown reiterated.
Also at Monday night’s meeting, council did not accept Minutes of Settlement for gas distribution lines in town pending further investigation (this may or may not include a municipal appeal of pipeline reassessment).
Council, however, did approve Minutes of Settlement for commercial and residential properties on 250-252 Scott St. (2013) and a residential property at 319 Third St. W. (2013).
The total financial impact of these settlements consist of a reduction of municipal revenue of $20,512.77 and education revenue of $6.077.10.
As well, council:
•passed a bylaw to authorize taking title to certain lands in the name of the municipality, and to declare the lands as necessary for municipal purposes as a municipal parking lot, to make official the transfer of land from Resolute FP Canada Inc. to the town (this land is the parking lot behind St. Mary’s Church);
•passed a bylaw to approve an agreement with the Minister of Transportation for financing under the Dedicated Gas Tax Funds for Public Transportation Program (the town is receiving $73,763 for 2012-13);
•agreed to a recommendation from the Administration and Finance executive committee to donate the proceeds from the 2013 OPP auction, in the amount of $1,919.94, to the Community Policing for Youth Safety Initiatives (i.e., bicycle safety) in the Town of Fort Frances;
•approved purchase card expenses in the amount of $134.47 for Fort Frances CAO Mark McCaig (this was for attendance at a Human Rights Tribunal meeting held June 21 at Valhalla Inn in Thunder Bay;
•approved an updated list of Officers of the Corporation, and whom is authorized to conduct financial transactions on behalf of the corporation (the list of officers now includes Coun. Doug Kitowski); and
•heard a report on ongoing capital projects in town (which was reported in Tuesday’s Daily Bulletin).
