Fort Frances, ON – Recently, the Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau (FFVB) shared how a $148,300 Capital grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation in 2022 has made a difference with key restoration work at the historic CN train station. Funds from the grant were used to cover the costs for removing, purchasing and installing the building’s new windows and exterior doors.
The station, located on 4th Street West, is used by the FFVB to provide key programs to the community, like the Family Centre and the CVITP income tax filing service, as well as food, clothing and bedding banks. By doing this renovation work, the FFVB made the space more energy efficient and helped extend the life of the building so that it can continue to be a place for people to go to when in search of assistance. Through partnerships with other agencies, FFVB has been able to provide space for meetings, as well as public health checkups and vaccination clinics. The Family Centre also provides shower and laundry facilities, and all goods and services are free to anyone in need regardless of age, gender, or ethnicity.
“This old building was in dire need of window and door replacement for years but such a project was way beyond the financial capability of our charity,” said John Sus, Treasurer, FFVB. “Thankfully, the people at the Ontario Trillium Foundation understood the importance of our building and the value of the services and programs that it houses. This OTF Capital grant will extend the usable life of the old CN station by decades, ensuring that current and future charitable programs will have a place to operate from for years to come. The Window and Door Store and its staff provided and installed all of the windows and doors. They did a wonderful job preserving the original aesthetics and charm of the building.”
The FFVB is a not-for-profit registered charity that promotes volunteerism through the recruitment, training, and organization of volunteers and by providing a physical location from which volunteers, volunteer groups, and social agencies can operate programs and charitable services. The old CN train station is this physical location, and it is essential to the many programs and services mentioned above that the FFVB currently offers.
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations celebrates 40 years of grant-making in Ontario and making a lasting impact in communities. Last year, OTF invested over $110M into 1,022 community projects and partnerships.
Visit otf.ca to learn more.
