Duane Hicks
Work on Phase II of the Heritage Tourism Project has begun, with the aim to see Fort Frances sporting an enhanced waterfront before the end of November.
Last week, crews with Tom Jones Construction put up fencing on either side of the Sorting Gap Marina—the future waterfront sites of the lookout tower and Hallett—as well as the current site of the tower, where they have begun to dismantle it, Community Services manager George Bell reported to council Monday night.
He noted the town has received a construction schedule from the contractor, which indicates that by the end of June, they should have disassembled the tower and pressure-washed all of the old paint off it, as well as have the piles set for the Hallett’s new location just off the shore of the riverfront.
According to the work schedule, the contractor has to be done by Dec. 15, but Bell said he’s been told it more than likely will be completed by mid-November.
In reference to the fencing around the future sites of the Hallett and tower, Bell noted the bike path remains open for use at those junctures, and that pedestrians will continue to be able to walk along the waterfront without hindrance.
Bell said drawings and information on Phase II of the Heritage Tourism Project have been put up on the wall at the Sorting Gap Marina, adding the public is encouraged to drop by and check them out.
A pamphlet also is available there that they can pick up and take home.
Phase I of the Heritage Tourism Project mainly consisted of extensive renovations to the Fort Frances Museum back in 2007.
Phase II of the project, which is meant to enhance the route from the town’s “gateway” to the Fort Frances Museum and then to the waterfront, as well as make the La Verendrye Parkway a heritage tourism destination, includes:
•refurbishing the Hallett and relocating it to a site just west of the Sorting Gap Marina (this site also will include interpretive panels incorporating logging history);
•refurbishing the lookout tower and relocating it to a site just east of the marina (this will tie into the interpretive theme of forestry);
•a series of interpretive panels along the La Verendrye Parkway telling the history of Fort Frances, covering topics like the forts that have been here in the past;
•landscaping, including a children’s play area; and
•a series of banners, featuring designs by local artists, placed along a route from the east end of the La Verendrye Parkway to the Victoria Avenue, and then continuing northward on Victoria Avenue, west onto Scott Street, and leading to the gateway at the border.
The project is budgeted at $1,459,400, which includes:
•Relocating and refurbishing the Hallett and lookout tower—$1.1 million;
•fort interpretation—$73,500;
•wayfinding and linkages—$141,500; and
•professional fees—$73,400
The town’s share of the project is about $293,500, with the rest being paid for through federal and provincial grants as well as local partners (i.e., the BIA and Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce).
Biomass road work
Meanwhile, Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown told council Monday night that the biomass roads project—which ultimately will see the reconstruction of Victoria Avenue from Front Street to the Nelson Street intersection, Nelson Street from Victoria Avenue to Veterans Avenue, and Portage Avenue from Nelson Street to just south of the First Street East intersection—is moving along a little ahead of schedule.
Since his last update to council on May 25, Brown said one crew working on Victoria Avenue has installed 56 metres of 10-inch sewer line, 15.3 metres of 18-inch sewer line, 7.5 metres of six-inch watermain, 118 metres of eight-inch watermain, and two new isolation valves, as well as transplanted some hedging on the southwest quadrant of Nelson and Victoria, and removed two old catch basins and 10 metres of storm sewer leads.
The crew working on Nelson Street has installed 125 metres of 18-inch sewer pipe, 10 metres of 12-inch sewer pipe, 64 metres of six-inch watermain, two valves, and 13 metres of eight-inch watermain.
Brown estimated that before the crews go home for their next work break tomorrow, they should have all the new sewer line in on Nelson and Victoria.
Looking further down the road, Brown said he’s been in contact with the BIA regarding the temporary closure of Portage and Scott for reconstruction.
He noted the intersection of Portage and Scott will be blocked to traffic at some point this summer for a one-week period at the most.
Shoppers still will have access to Scott Street from either end (Victoria and Mowat); they simply won’t be able to drive straight through that intersection.
While no specific date has been set for this portion of the job, businesses will be given seven days’ notice of the work. However, Brown did stress this work would not coincide with the annual Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship in late July.
Projects in limbo
Brown had no update on when the Portage Avenue underpass work will resume as the town is waiting for approval of soil anchor samples by CN.
Fort Frances CAO Mark McCaig said the samples have been in CN’s hands for about a month now but the company still hasn’t gotten back to the town with the approval necessary to proceed with this year’s work.
McCaig did say he recently contacted CN’s public affairs department, and was told they should have some information ready regarding soil anchor samples in the near future.
Likewise, the reconstruction of Scott Street from Reid Avenue to Colonization Road East remains in limbo as the town awaits word on “Connecting Link” funding from the province.
Mayor Roy Avis stressed he and town administration have written letters to, and made contact with, various provincial agencies at different levels, enquiring about the funding, but to this date haven’t heard whether they will get it or not.
McCaig noted that here in Northwestern Ontario, the construction season is shorter than in southern Ontario, and that funding announcements coming in so late in the year are a reoccurring problem.
“We should be trying to get these approvals a little earlier than we have been to accommodate the shorter season,” he said.
“We’ve advocated in that regard to the government on numerous occasions during my tenure,” McCaig added.
