Duane Hicks
The town will partner with Ducks Unlimited to replace and expand educational signage along the La Verendyre Parkway here.
Town council agreed Monday night to a proposal from Ducks Unlimited Canada for a two-part project to replace panels–on the condition the town review and approve the signs prior to them be being bought and installed.
As well, the location of the signs must be at mutually agreed upon locations through the length of the walkway.
“We are very happy to have the Town of Fort Frances on board as a partner in this project,” said Charles Fisher, a spokesperson for DU’s Fort Frances chapter.
“There is no firm deadline as to when we will see the new signage installed,” he noted.
“However, our goal is to have something in place by the end of the summer.
“Our next steps will be to begin designing the content with Ducks Unlimited Canada, and deciding on a structure that meets the town’s requirements,” added Fisher.
As previously reported, DU has offered not only to replace the signs currently along the walkway but add new ones.
The current signs provide information on waterfowl species seen in this area, such as the common goldeneye, common loon, and bufflehead.
The new ones will feature even more such species.
DU has offered to buy the signs, which the town then will install.
Also at Monday night’s meeting, council:
•agreed to change the date of the Nov. 13 committee of the whole and council meetings to Nov. 14 (this is due to Remembrance Day falling on a Saturday, so town employees will have Nov. 13 off in lieu);
•awarded a tender for a half-ton, two-wheel drive pickup truck to Sunset Country Ford in the amount of $29,807 plus applicable taxes;
•received a player sponsorship request from Wes Marsden, general manager of Team Ontario, for local defenceman Izzy Smith to attend the National Aboriginal Hockey Championship in Lake Cowichan, B.C. on May 1-6, with no further action to be taken;
•authorized a $100 donation to the Rainy River District Music Festival Association’s 77th Festival of the Performing Arts taking place here in April;
•received a membership opportunity request from the Town and Gown Association of Ontario (TGAO), with no further action to be taken;
•authorized the mayor and clerk to execute the transfer payment (financial support) agreements with the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp. for the temporary asset management plan co-ordinator position on behalf of the Town of Fort Frances, and further that an authorizing bylaw be brought forward to the next regular meeting of council;
•agreed to a memorial bench being installed on the La Verendrye Parkway at Fifth Street East (the requester will buy the bench and memorial plaque while the town will supply labour and materials to construct the foundation of the bench and install it);
•agreed to enter into a funding agreement with Automotive Materials Stewardship for the collection of automotive products at the annual Municipal Hazardous and Special Waste collection event here; and
•agreed to adopt the municipal motion provided by “We Own It Canada” and as amended by the Town of Fort Frances (this is a follow-up to the presentation made by OPSEU 735 president Melissa Pearson at council’s March 13 meeting).
