Duane Hicks
The Fort Frances Museum will be getting upgrades to its public bathroom, but whether or not it will be accessible 24 hours a day remains to be seen.
Council agreed last night to award the renovations to Ed Halvorsen Construction at a cost of $51,600 plus HST.
In the meantime, council will review exactly when the future bathroom will be open.
The project, which is being funded through a “Canada 150” grant, includes converting the two existing bathrooms located just inside the front entrance of the museum into one universal, barrier-free bathroom.
The project also includes a new front exterior door with side lights, equipped with barrier-free hardware and a drop-down lockable gate which will bar access to the basement and upper floor when the museum itself is not open.
The idea behind the latter is to allow public use of the bathroom even when the museum is not open.
But several members of council expressed concerns about 24-hour access.
“A 24-hour washroom unattended is probably just asking for trouble in my opinion,” said Coun. Paul Ryan, noting it might become a “shooting gallery” for drug users or be vandalized.
“We have a lot of trouble right now with our washrooms at the Point Park,” he added.
“It’s an ongoing vandalism affair and I think that this washroom should be only open possibly during business hours or daylight hours, but not 24 hours a day.”
A barrier-free ramp will be added to the renovation project next spring.
Also last night, Evelyn Metke was named as the 2017 “Citizen of the Year.”
Council also:
•agreed to purchase two Fortinet Fortigate 200E firewalls at an estimated cost of $10,867.48 (these are for online network security);
•agreed to amend the zoning bylaw to designate property at 608 Scott St. from C2 (light commercial) to R2 (residential), which will be brought forth at the Dec. 11 council meeting for finalization;
•agreed to amend the zoning bylaw to be site-specific for setbacks from navigable and non-navigable watercourses, hazard lands, and municipal surface drains, which will be brought forth at the Dec. 11 council meeting for finalization;
•received a letter regarding heaving of the private crossing at 100 Oakwood Rd., with no further action to be taken;
•passed a bylaw to approve an agreement with iCompass Technologies Inc. for Meeting Manager Pro and Board Manager software services; and
•passed a bylaw to approve a lease renewal agreement with 427112 Ontario Ltd. o/a Skynorth Air at the Fort Frances Airport.
