New Fort Frances bylaw officer Mark Bridge is used to living on the border, but not with Minnesota. Bridge comes to Fort Frances from Sarnia in southern Ontario on the Canada-United States border with Michigan.
Fresh out of the Protection, Security and Investigation program at Lambton College in Sarnia, Bridge has spent time working as a part-time bylaw officer in Sarnia. He saw the ad for the bylaw officer position in Fort Frances and applied.
“I was bylaw in Sarnia just part time through the winter,” Bridge said. “Then I applied here when that ended and got an interview. . . I moved two weeks after the interview.”
Fort Frances is definitely a change, Bridge said. It’s been an adjustment as he is used to spending time with friends.
– Allan Bradbury photo
“When I was back home, I’d hang out with my friends all the time and go out for food,” Bridge said.
Since coming to Fort Frances, he’s spent time doing one of his hobbies — fishing.
“I like fishing a lot,” he said. “I’d go on buddies’ boats and stuff. During the winter I like to go hunting if I can.”
Bridge also enjoys watching sports, especially football. He cheers for the Detroit Lions.
“My dad was born in the states, so he was a Lions fan, so I was kind of forced to like the Lions even though they’re really bad,” he said. “But then they grew on me. Maybe one year I’ll be happy.”
One of the differences Bridge said he’s noticed since arriving has been the weather.
“Obviously it’s been a crazy year with the rain,” Bridge said. “But the storms you get, and the mosquitoes are bad up here.”
But he’s also noticed the people and area are nice.
“I’ve found that everyone I work with is pretty nice,” Bridge said. “A lot of the community is pretty nice, once they get to know you and it’s a nice town. I came at a bad time, for sure. But it’s still beautiful.”
