Construction will be hectic in Fort Frances later this summer after the Ministry of Transportation approved $747,000 in funding, including $213,000 for more improvements to King’s Highway here.
Included in the information package received during last night’s regular council meeting was a letter to town clerk Glen Treftlin from Transportation minister Brad Clark, which confirmed the funding approval.
Most of the $747,000 will cover costs carried over from projects already completed, including the widening of King’s Highway from York Avenue to Wright Avenue.
Of the remaining money, $283,000 will be used to improve King’s Highway between Central Avenue and York Avenue, including resurfacing and curb and gutter replacements.
“We’re just preparing drawings and tenders. We’re looking to start construction sometime in August,” noted Superintendent of Operations Raymond Roy.
About $30,000 will be used to pave Colonization Road East, south of the overpass.
According to a construction schedule released in early June, the latest projects will be underway throughout September and part of October.
“We’re going to target for Sept. 30 but we haven’t even got the tenders out yet,” said Roy.
The funding was approved under the “connecting link” program, which funds engineering, design, and capital construction work on sections of municipal roads linking two ends of a provincial highway.
The funding is a 90 percent subsidy of 2001 “connecting link” construction projects.
The projects will coincide with work on the new Canada Customs and Immigration facility here, which is already underway, including construction of the new Veterans Avenue just west of Portage Avenue and south of Church Street, as well as the building itself and surrounding access ways and intersections.
Construction there is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2001.
Also during last night’s meeting, council voted to turn down a request from the Sunset Country Travel Association for an increase of four cents per capita from the town.
Instead, council authorized a 2001/2002 membership renewal at last year’s rate of 16 cents per capita.
Council did approve the allocation of $400, as requested by the Kenora District Municipal Association in a letter to the Rainy River District Municipal Association, for doctor recruitment initiatives in the north.
Council also approved the amendment of the vicious dog bylaw to include the American pit bull terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, and the American Staffordshire terrier along with the pit bull terrier.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
