Duane Hicks
Local bars and restaurants will be able to serve alcohol at the Rainy Lake Square this year.
Council endorsed guidelines for usage of the Rainy Lake Square at their meeting here Monday evening.
With the exception of Coun. June Caul-who earlier this month spoke against allowing alcohol in the square–council voted in favour of the guidelines will will bar and restaurant businesses with catering endorsements to sell alcohol at events at the Rainy Lake Square.
The rationale is that the Rainy Lake Square is meant to encourage and grow local business, and allowing catering endorsements will support bar and restaurant businesses while allowing full service events.
However, allowing alcohol service from a special occasion permit won’t be allowed as this would be competitive with businesses.
No alcohol will be served past 11 p.m.
The guidelines also state the Rainy Lake Square will be reserved through the Memorial Sports Centre facility reservation system. The BIA and Economic Development office will have access to the system. The economic development office will assist with bookings, encouraging utilization by the community.
There will not be a charge to book the Rainy Lake Square for casual use (such as birthday parties and gatherings where the facility remains open to the public), nor for use by non-profit groups (such as fenced in ticketed events for community groups and charities).
But there will be a fee to book the square for private, fenced-in events not open to the public such as weddings and social gatherings, and for for-profit events like trade shows or car shows.
User fees will be set at $433.60 plus HST for residents and $542 plus HST for non-residents.
Smoking will be prohibited in the square.
The recommendation of the Administration and Finance executive committee also states that these rules will be used for the operations of the Rainy Lake Square on a trial basis this year, and assessed at the end of the season prior to finalizing 2019 user fees.
Also at Monday evening’s meeting, council:
•approved a donation to the FFHS Chem-Free Grad committee in the amount of $975.30 for the 2018 event taking place at the Memorial Sports Centre;
•denied a late vacancy application request from A. Werenko;
•directed a bylaw be brought forward to delegate decision making authority of a “lame duck council” to the town CAO during the “lame duck” period which could begin on July 27, 2018;
•approved an updated volunteer firefighter employment policy;
•awarded the provision of airport insurance to Gillons’ Insurance for the term of April 1, 2018-March 31, 2019;
•authorized waiving calendar parking on the 400 and 500 blocks of Nelson Street during the District A1 Senior Games to be held here on June 5-6;
•awarded the tender for the purchases of three town vehicles. These include one half-ton crew cab four-wheel drive pickup truck from Sunset Country Ford ($34,115 plus taxes), one three-quarter ton crew cab four-wheel drive pickup truck from Jim MacDonald Motors ($38,601 plus taxes), and one four-wheel drive SUV from Jim MacDonald Motors ($27,317 plus taxes);
•approved a per diem claim for Coun. Ken Perry in the amount of $480 for his attendance at the Kenora District Municipal Association annual general meeting on Feb. 1-3 in Ear Falls;
•approved the adjustment of 2017 taxed for property at 740 Sixth St. West as a result of a building destroyed by fire;
•referred a letter requesting financial support for the District 1A Senior Games to the Administration and Finance executive committee for recommendation;
•referred a letter from an Olde Shambles Road resident re: Public Works invoice to the Operations and Facilities executive committee for recommendation;
•referred a letter from the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship re: support of this year’s derby to the Administration and Finance executive committee with input from all other executive committees;
•passed a bylaw to amend zoning at 560 Webster Ave. from “institutional” to “multi-residential type 2”;
•passed a bylaw to amend zoning at 201 Minnie Ave. from “tourist commercial” to “multi-residential type 2”;
•passed a bylaw to execute a site plan control agreement with the Northwest District Catholic School Board for the development of a new consolidated school at 555 Flinders Ave.; and
•passed an updated bylaw re: snow and ice removal from sidewalks and road allowances.
