Sherri Loveday has until Nov. 15 to find a new place to live, and she does not yet know where that will be. “I now know how the homeless feel being put out on the street, because we are,” said Loveday, one of the Rose Manor tenants still in a […]
Will Brooks
Will Brooks is a staff writer at the Fort Frances Times. Originally from East Wittering on the south coast of England, he completed a PhD at the University of Portsmouth examining the Canadian Army in wartime Britain. His background in historical research helped foster an affection for Canada and for the local stories that shape communities. He joined The Times after moving to northwestern Ontario in 2026.
By Will Brooks
Fort Frances residents could be skating beneath a new roof at McIrvine Park this winter, with construction of the nearly $1-million rink upgrade progressing towards completion. Travis Rob, the Town of Fort Frances’ Manager of Infrastructure and Growth, told the Times that work on the $994,000 project is progressing well, […]
By Will Brooks
The Fort Frances Museum and Cultural Centre is heading into Remembrance season with a new exhibit on the Royal Canadian Legion’s centennial and two November evenings devoted to life on the home front. The temporary exhibit “Honouring 100 Years of the Legion” opens with a reception and light refreshments today […]
By Will Brooks
Bright autumn sunshine did little to take the chill out of the air Friday morning. Still, it did not deter dozens of residents, First Nations leaders and community representatives from gathering outside the Fort Frances Civic Centre for a historic flag-raising ceremony. Around 80 people were in attendance to witness […]
By Will Brooks
wbrooks@fortfrances.com
wbrooks@fortfrances.com
It was 10:31 p.m. on Oct. 20, 2025, and the ball was exploding off George Springer’s bat, securing the three-run homer that was to send the Toronto Blue Jays to their first World Series in 32 years. Jason Anderson, a big Jays fan, slept through it. A couple of kilometres […]
By Will Brooks
wbrooks@fortfrances.com
wbrooks@fortfrances.com
The two volunteers honoured last month for 15 or more years on the Valley Adult Learning Association (VALA) board both first came to the agency for help with computers. Board chair Diane Funk and treasurer Donna Penney were recognized at VALA’s annual general meeting on Sept. 21. “I didn’t need […]
By Will Brooks
When the fire alarm woke Debbie Larson at Rose Manor on the morning of Sept. 22, she had not smelled smoke or heard anything unusual. But opening her apartment door revealed a hallway filled with black smoke. “It was like a tire fire—black smoke thick through the hallway,” the Rose […]
By Will Brooks
The District of Rainy River Services Board (DRRSB) says it does not have enough vacant housing units to meet the needs of tenants displaced by last month’s deadly Rose Manor fire, as funding for temporary hotel accommodation is expected to run out on Nov. 15. The Sept. 22 fire displaced […]
By Will Brooks
wbrooks@fortfrances.com
wbrooks@fortfrances.com
Tenants displaced by the Sept. 22 fire at Rose Manor will need to secure alternative housing after Nov. 15, when the insurance funding paying for their emergency hotel rooms is expected to run out, the District of Rainy River Services Board (DRRSB) said. The board has been advised that the […]
By Will Brooks
wbrooks@fortfrances.com
wbrooks@fortfrances.com
A slowly leaking toilet or dripping tap might not seem like a septic problem. But on a cold night, that steady trickle can freeze in the buried pipe before it reaches the tank, building an ‘iceberg’ that grows until nothing gets through. “This can happen overnight and be quite the […]
By Will Brooks
Get lost this weekend! A lawn mower-shaped corn maze, flashlight walks after dark, and the return of lawn mower racing will headline Cornerstone Christian School’s annual Corn Maze fundraiser. The event will run Saturday, Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 4 from noon to 4 […]
By Will Brooks
Fiscal discipline, affordable taxes, support for local businesses and operational experience About a decade ago, the board of a 90-unit condominium complex in Calgary was presented with a plan to replace its cedar shake roofs at an estimated $1.5 million. Gary Cousineau, its longtime president, went looking for another option. […]
