Duane Hicks
The East End Hall could be the future site of a drop-in centre for youth pilot program.
Town council last night agreed in principle to allow in-kind use of the hall to operate a drop-in centre but what happens next will depend on grant funding.
The Community Services executive committee late last month received a presentation from Elaine Fischer, health promoter for the Northwestern Health Unit, that highlighted a trial youth engagement program that was run this past summer by a number of partnering organizations.
“On the heels of the successful youth engagement this summer, the request was put forward to explore potential locations in the community to perform a pilot project for a youth drop-in centre one to two days per week to start with,” Community Services manager Jason Kabel wrote in a report to council.
Locations mentioned for the pilot project were the Tourist Information Centre, the old library on Church Street, and the East End Hall, but it was determined the only feasible location that the town had jurisdiction of was the East End Hall, he noted.
The Northwestern Health Unit now will take the lead on grant opportunities for the youth pilot project in the near future and present a proposal before moving forward with any such program, Kabel concluded.
Also at last night’s meeting (held a day later due to the Thanksgiving holiday), council:
•approved use of the East End Hall by the Canada Day Committee at no charge on the dates requested (Oct. 24, Nov. 7, Nov. 14, Nov. 21, and Nov. 28) for one hour (5:30-6:30 p.m.) for a Canada Day fundraiser;
•awarded tender 18-OF-08 (heavy-duty tandem drive articulated grader) to Toromont Cat for a total tender price of $316,400, inclusive of HST.
•agreed to enter into an agreement with the Township of Emo for handling, transportation, and processing of its blue box materials at the Town of Fort Frances transfer station;
•agreed to renew the municipal insurance with Frank Cowan Company for the period Nov. 1, 2018-Nov. 1, 2019 in the amount of $198,351, plus applicable taxes; and
•approved a travel expense claim in the amount of $191.43, as submitted by Fort Frances CAO Doug Brown, for his travel to Thunder Bay for a NWO CAO group meeting and OMAA/FedNor round-table meeting.
