Duane Hicks
Construction of a new sidewalk for J.W. Walker students will be considered in the 2014 municipal budget with the understanding that the town will have to share the cost with other parties.
Following the Sept. 21 public meeting where council received input on the 2014 budget, the Administration and Finance executive committee reviewed a request from the Fort Frances Traffic Safety Committee for a 124 metre-long sidewalk extension along the west side of Keating Avenue.
The executive committee decided the new sidewalk would improve safety for students attending J.W. Walker, and achieves part of a long-term objective of the town to have a sidewalk on at least one side of all local roads.
There also appears to be financial partners to help fund the new sidewalk, and the town’s portion can be funded under the federal gas tax revenue program.
A preliminary cost estimate for the sidewalk extension is $65,000.
On the other hand, the executive committee noted the sidewalk will cost the town some money, hydro poles might have to be relocated, and the five homeowners abutting the new sidewalk might not agree to it.
Council agreed with a recommendation of the executive committee to refer the sidewalk project to 2014 budget talks, with the understanding the town might consider doing it only if other partners can fund at least 50 percent of the project, if not more.
Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown noted many community stakeholders have been involved in the sidewalk project, including Safe Communities Rainy River District, Seniors and Law Enforcement Together (S.A.L.T.), Rainy River District School Board, Northwest Catholic District School Board, the OPP, and the town’s Public Works and bylaw department.
Also involved have been the J.W. Walker, Robert Moore, and St. Michael’s parent councils, two bus lines, Ministry of Transportation-Road Safety, and the Northwestern Health Unit.
Brown added that aside from the two town entities, the 50 percent funding could come from these other partners.
Coun. Doug Kitowski stressed the town should not go ahead with the sidewalk unless it can get clearance from the five abutting property owners.
Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft agreed, noting it’s imperative the other partners secure that 50 percent funding.
“If those two things are in hand, then it’ll go to the budget process,” he noted.
“It may not survive the budget process, but those two things have to fall in line before it goes to the budget process.”
Coun. Ken Perry suggested that if more than 50 percent was raised by the other partners, the odds of the sidewalk making it through the budget process might improve.
In related news, the town is following up on concerns expressed by resident Merv Ahrens regarding the safety hazard caused by dead and dying trees in Fort Frances.
A report from the Operations and Facilities executive committee said the town will “address the matter of tree removal and replacement in a prudent and timely fashion.”
It also indicated four of the dead trees within Legion Park, which were pointed out by Ahrens during his budget presentation, have since been removed.
They were removed during the week of Sept. 30-Oct. 4 by Parks staff who were taking a chainsaw training course.
Information provided by Ahrens, which is mainly operational in nature, will be taken into account when finalizing the 2014 budget.
Coun. Andrew Hallikas said he was glad to see Public Works take immediate action at Legion Park, but insisted there appears to be “an awful lot of dead trees” at the Point Park.
“I think we really need to have a look at what’s going on at Point Park during the budget process in terms of tree,” he stressed.
