Mayor Larry Crawford and city manager Carl Holder of Paris, Tenn. will get a taste of what Fort Frances is all about April 30-May 3 when they come to visit what still may become their home town’s “twin city.”
And CAO Bill Naturkach, who is on a hosting committee along with Times publisher Jim Cumming, EDO Geoff Gillon, and administrative assistant Loreen Holt, said the delegates will have plenty to do.
“We had a hosting committee meeting last summer and at that time, we had a hugh list of things to do. We had to cut it down,” noted Naturkach.
“What we’re really trying to do is link up the interest groups. There are some cross-business interests and we want the public to meet them, as well,” he added.
The visit will coincide with the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) conference here May 1-3, which offers the visitors a chance to really see key individuals and groups in the region.
But the hosting committee also is looking to get representatives from the Rainy River Future Development Corp., Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce, the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship, and even the Rainy River District School Board, among others.
Naturkach explained this was because Paris was found to share numerous similarities with Fort Frances. For example, it has had to deal with what to do with vacant or aging school buildings, like the old Fort High, and maintaining downtown core areas—a problem being addressed here by the “Re-Inventing Fort Frances” committee.
“One of the important things we must do before they leave is talk about what to do next,” noted Naturkach, adding that ideally a road trip to Paris for both local tourists and entrepreneurs could be planned for the future.
Mayor Crawford and Holder are the only confirmed delegates from Tennessee, but more still may join them before the May arrival date.
More details of the visitors’ itinerary will be determined in the next few weeks. Coun. Roy Avis, owner of West End Motors, has agreed to give the visitors the use of a vehicle during their stay.
This visit comes after three delegates from Fort Frances—Mayor Glenn Witherspoon, Gillon, and Naturkach–visited Winchester, Tenn. and Paris late last March.
The purpose of the trip was to visit two cities with similar profiles as Fort Frances, including population and a focus on tourism as a vital part of their economy.
“It was strange to go so far away and find they face the same types of problems as us,” Gillon had said last March, adding the town—and the entire region—could learn much from what he saw in Tennessee.
“Because they’re thousands of miles away, we weren’t a threat to them. When we had a dialogue, they were very open,” Gillon noted. “I learned they’re very aggressive and probably ahead of us as far as economic development goes.”
The trio toured the two cities’ municipal offices, police departments, and recreation centres, as well as taking in some sights like the Tims Ford State park, the Jack Daniels distillery, and an old jail converted into a museum.
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