The topic of whether it’s worthwhile to erect a large bass statue here as a tourist attraction will be brought up for discussion by Coun. Neil Kabel at Tuesday night’s council meeting.
“I recently had a resident of Fort Frances, a taxpayer, who passed through Baudette, Mn. a couple weeks ago and saw the walleye statue there,” Coun. Kabel said Tuesday morning.
“He said to me, ‘Can you look into whether or not we can get something like that here?” Coun. Kabel noted.
“I’ve also passed through Baudette and seen people having their photos taken with the walleye there,” he added.
Coun. Kabel supports the idea of a bass statue. “If we can do anything that would bring people here, it’s great,” he said. “But it all boils down to cost.
“How much will it cost, and where’s the appropriate place to put it?”
Coun. Kabel said the item likely will be referred to at least one of the town’s advisory committees after tonight’s meeting, and eventually will come back to council with a recommendation either for or against the idea.
Tonight’s council meeting, which was pushed back one day due to Remembrance Day on Monday, starts at 7 p.m. The committee of the whole meets first downstairs at the Civic Centre at 5:30 p.m.
Other business at tonight’s council meeting includes:
•the naming of the 2002 “Citizen of the Year”;
•a report on the status of Phase II of the La Verendrye Parkway project on Front Street;
•the skate shop contract for the Memorial Sports Centre;
•a financial contribution request from the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce for its annual banquet;
•a presentation by Brad Herbert, FOCUS co-ordinator of the Rainy River District Substance Abuse Prevention Team regarding activities for Drug Awareness Week (Nov. 17-23);
•a presentation Mark Jones and Steve Maki regarding the proposed skate park being spearheaded by the local Kiwanis Club;
•a request from the Fort Frances Ministerial Association for use of the town hall waiting room;
•a report on the fall cleanup at the landfill, where tipping fees were waived on Nov. 2;
•a request for financial support from the “Can Help” program of the Canadian Mental Health Association;
•a request from the Economic Development advisory committee for permission to take the lead administrative role in planning the annual Northern Networks trade conference being hosted here in 2003;
•a request from the Rainy River Valley Safety Coalition for financial support for annual operating costs of community programs; and
•a resolution brought forward by the Economic Development advisory committee regarding the 1994 Timber Environmental Assessment Renewal Program.
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