Staff at the Fort Frances Jail held a barbecue last Thursday afternoon in celebration of its 100th anniversary.
Several town dignitaries and jail officials were on hand for the noon hour activities outside the jail here.
Mayor Roy Avis offered congratulations to the staff and explained to the crowd the importance of having the jail within the district.
“We are very lucky to have our little jail that provides a vital service to our town and the people, “ he remarked.
Other speakers included Murray Alexander, Ian Booth, Fort Frances OPP S/Sgt. Steve Shouldice, and local OPP Cst. Gary Vittie.
“I’m glad I can work so closely with the staff at the Fort Frances Jail,” said Cst. Vittie. “They are great at what they do and together we provide a great service.”
Wanda Botsford also presented the staff with a congratulatory letter from local MP Ken Boshcoff.
“On behalf of Mr. Boshcoff offices, I’d like to wish the staff the best of luck in the future as we would like to see this great service continued here,” said Botsford.
Everyone on hand had an opportunity to sign the guest book and look at the memorabilia on display, including several old clippings and photographs pertaining to the jail’s history.
The Fort Frances Jail is the smallest and oldest still in service in the province today.
“We are the smallest and oldest but the most humble in the province, and we are proud of it,” said Booth.
Attendees enjoyed hamburgers and hotdogs, as well as a beautiful cake with a picture graphic of the original jail structure on it.
“I hope everyone enjoys the food and events today as we are celebrating a lot of history today,” enthused Cst. Vittie.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
