Plans for the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board to relocate from its offices on the 200 block of Scott Street to the 400 block are still underway, but the move likely will be pushed back.
“The original date [to move] was March 1,” noted CAO Donna Dittaro.
The board approved the purchase of the building at 450/460 Scott St. (formerly Family and Children’s Services) back in March from Armstrong Investments, along with an adjacent empty lot which will be used to build a new, fully-accessible entrance.
Due to the extensive renovations planned, the building won’t be ready by March 1, Dittaro explained.
“We’re still optimistic it’ll be in the spring,” she said. “You’re totally at the mercy of the suppliers.”
Some of the supplies needed for the renovations could take months to deliver, she noted.
Meanwhile, the contractors are busy doing what work they can, removing old flooring and some walls from the interior, and taking out the landscaping and preparing the empty lot for the addition.
“They’ve been great. They’ve been working faster than expected,” Dittaro said.
Most of the tenders also have been awarded.
The DSSAB currently is located at 206 Scott St., but is dealing with problems of overcrowding. The board is renting space for the Ontario Works program further east on Scott Street, and has files stored in other locations due to a lack of space.
The entire staff will relocate to the new building once renovations are complete.
In other news, the local DSSAB is preparing to assume control of ambulance services in the district as of Jan. 1, and will operate it of the former home of the Fort Frances Bingo Hall at 801 Scott St.
The tender for the general contractor will go out this week, Dittaro said.
Fort Frances Times
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