The riverfront will be ready to be in the spotlight for a special ceremony July 1 now that construction of Phase II of the La Verendrye Parkway wrapped up over the weekend.
“The Phase II job was substantially completed Sunday night, which is of course, right on schedule,” Fort Frances CAO Bill Naturkach said Tuesday afternoon.
“It is very satisfying to see it done.
“I remember years and years ago, when we still just called it the waterfront, dealing with getting it into a state where you could do something with it,” Naturkach added, noting the town had to encourage some businesses on Front Street, such as Busch’s Auto Supplies, to relocate while also dealing with abandoned properties, rubble, and old docks.
“This is the end of the road, so to speak,” he remarked.
That said, Naturkach noted some features of the Phase II plans that were cut, such as improvements to the Sorting Gap Marina, may be in the picture in the future as the town’s economic development advisory committee has decided to consider them in its 2004-05 budget.
The work to complete the roughly $2.4-million project, which was done by George Armstrong Co. Ltd. and various sub-contractors, included a bike path and stone walkway extending from Victoria Avenue to the Sorting Gap, the addition of benches, lightposts, and trees, new topsoil and sod, four signs describing historical aspects of the waterfront, and signage at various points in town directing the way to the waterfront.
It also included the in-water work (the sloping, the fish habitat, pilings for the Sorting Gap Marina, and drainage improvements) as well as a concrete island at the Sorting Gap parking area.
Further enhancements in the next few weeks will include a mermaid statue and several donor plaques, thanking those who sponsored trees, benches, and funding in general for the waterfront construction.
These will be in pace for the July 1 ceremony, which is slated for 10 a.m. at the Victoria Avenue end of the parkway.
While not part of the La Verendrye Parkway project as such, George Armstrong Co. Ltd. continues to work on reconstructing Front Street from Victoria Avenue to mid-block between Crowe Avenue and Mosher Avenue.
While this won’t be done before July 1, the road will be in good enough shape for the Canada Day parade, which will proceed down Front Street at 11 a.m. that day, said Bruce Spottiswood, acting manager of Operations and Facilities.
Curbs and gutters also will be put in, as well as a sidewalk down to Armit Avenue from La Verendrye hospital. This job also includes road patching from Crowe Avenue to Butler Avenue, and Butler to the Sorting Gap Marina.
One section of lamps—nearest the hospital—will not have power to them for a couple of weeks due to this roadway construction, which is scheduled to be completed by July 15.
The town is asking residents to avoid this area as vehicular access may be restricted to local traffic only at times.
(Fort Frances Times)
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
