Staff
The town is looking for community input on a new “blue box” recycling plan that will be unveiled at an open house tomorrow (Nov. 30) from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Civic Centre.
“I think it’s very critical people in the community attend this strategy session,” Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft, who chairs the Operation and Facilities executive committee, said last week.
The town has received a report from consultants Trow Engineering outlining proposed strategies to boost recycling.
The open house is a chance for the public to provide input into the plan.
“We really would impress upon the people of this community, if you want to come out and share your ideas with how you want to see recycling go in this community for the next 10 years, this is your opportunity to do it,” Coun. Wiedenhoeft stressed.
Also last week, Coun. Ken Perry said the Economic Development Advisory Committee would submit a brief concerning recycling, and where the town could head with it in the future, to Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown in hopes he could incorporate some of those ideas into tomorrow evening’s open house.
As previously reported, the town receives about $62,000 a year from Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO) to help assist with the cost of “blue box” pick-up here.
The town was prompted to develop a “blue box” recycling plan because WDO mandated that if Fort Frances does not have one in place by the end of this year, the town will have its “blue box” funding reduced by 15 percent.
The town applied for a grant from WDO back in March in order to the develop the strategy.
Then in late August, Fort Frances and Atikokan teamed up to hire a Trow Engineering to devise a “blue box” recycling strategy for both communities (by teaming up, 90 percent of the cost was covered by the provincial grant).
