GIS work resumes in town

The town began its Geographic Information Systems (GIS) program updating last week, and Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown is advising residents not to be concerned if they see people checking out their property.
Brown said Wednesday that the two people hired to do so have been going around to the some 4,000 residential properties in town locating water and sewer shut-offs, and will continue to do so through August.
“What they’re doing is locating the shut-off valves at the property line,” he noted. “This is to update our GIS information to do a water and wastewater sustainability study and asset management plan.
“This will also help homeowners in that we can locate their shut-off valve, in the wintertime say when the ground’s frozen, and shut the water off quickly if they have a watermain break.
“Why we’re doing this is to make sure we know what we have, and where that is, to help maintain the water system at a higher standard, at a best practices standard,” added Brown.
If anyone still has questions regarding these operations, call the Operations and Facilities division at 274-9893.
In related news, Brown said residents can expect to see a lot of maintenance activity around town shortly.
Starting Monday, the 2006 sewer and water rehab work will start.
Some 20 isolation valves need to be replaced in the water system on Shevlin Avenue, noted Brown, and there will be some water line “looping” on CN property between Armit and Crowe Avenues.
He also said town crews have been focusing on getting things ready for July 1 celebrations, such as installing stairs at the big chair at Pither’s Point Park (which previously had been fenced off) as well as putting in new playground equipment there.
The glider swing at Lions Park also is ready for use, with a ramp installed there, said Brown. A handrail will be added to it shortly.
And in coming weeks, more equipment will be installed at the Phair and Butler Avenue parks.
“Three years ago, we had pretty dilapidated equipment; it was obsolete,” Brown remarked. “Now we have standardized, modern equipment.
“I think people appreciate it. A lot of people use the parks,” he added.
Brown also said Parks crews have been busy planting flowers at the cemeteries, and should be done by end of this week. And more bear-proof containers will be put out at various locations around town.
One way residents can help beautify the town, added Brown, is by ensuring their hedges and trees aren’t growing over sidewalks.
He said he’s noticed far too many hedges in town are in contravention of the town bylaw, which states all pedestrian walkways be free of impediments, with hedge growth and tree branches trimmed to be no closer than six inches to the edge of the sidewalk.
(Fort Frances Daily Bulletin)