The project developed by the Rainy River Future Development Corporation (RRFDC) to address tourism and marketing for Fort Frances is back for discussion.The vision is set to be achieved through the beautification of Scott Street, town entrances and the Trans-Canada Highway.
This item initially appeared on the Planning and Development Committee meeting agenda on April 5 but was deferred to a future meeting in order to have more time for discussion and research. On April 5, Cody Vangel, chief building official and municipal planner, sought input from the meeting committee and determined an ideal path going forward.
This plan is supposed to tackle three aspects: graffiti cleanup, advocacy for fewer billboards, screening of storage businesses at the west entrance with planted material if right of way permits and community cleanup and priority ongoing pickup for the length of the Trans-Canada Highway in Fort Frances.
Vangel said as per the committee’s request he brought back more information and samples on the beautification plans and landscape guidelines for them to look at.
On Monday’s meeting, councillors and Mayor June Caul had the chance to review different models of similar projects implemented in Guelph, Cambridge, Stratford and Thunder Bay.
Vangel said this would go into the 2022 capital budget.
Coun. Wendy Brunetta said this is the perfect time to look into this because the community is transforming from a mill industrial town to something new, especially with the gateway project and the Shevlin Woodyard.
“I think it’s great to have something that’s consistent and cohesive throughout our community,” Brunetta said. “It’s really an exciting time. We have some retailers that have done a great job beautifying their facade. We have a mixture of modern looks and some who have preserved the historical look and some that are more rustic.”
Brunetta said she would like to try and retain as much of the town’s history as possible.
“ I’d like to have some sort of guideline,” Brunetta said. “I also think we need to look at how we’re going to encourage this. Are we going to be providing some sort of financial incentive for people to spruce up their fronts and preserve some of that history so it’s maybe through the Community Improvement Plan or are there other ways that we can do that.”
Tannis Drysdale, economic development officer at RRFDC, said a constant issue has been the entrances.
“The [signs] have been slowly improving over the years, but they still do not set the tone for a tourism experience,” Drysdale said. “You enter either through an industrial site, which will improve significantly with the removal of the mill, or through the Industrial Highway Park on the other side of town.”
Drysdale said they want to do anything that could encourage more greenery and better landscaping, adding that these improvements would benefit Fort Frances by creating a positive first impression.