The town of Fort Frances will be appealing to the provincial government for funding as it continues to grapple with aging infrastructure and equipment.
At last night’s meeting of town council, council approved three reports that will see the town enter into funding agreement with the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to boost three separate projects in the municipality.
The first report sees the town enter a Conditional Contributing Agreement with the NOHFC for funding tied to the repairs done to several facility roofs throughout town, including the Senior Centre Shop, the Point Park Office and the Fort Frances Cemetery Mortuary. The total cost of these projects was budgeted in the 2024 Capital Budget at $42,000, with the town being awarded up to $30,000, or 75 percent of the eligible project costs.
According to the report to council prepared by Transportation Superintendent Cody Vangel, the actual cost of these projects came out to $31,690.10. The NOHFC contribution therefore is #23,767.58, with the town paying the remainder of $7,922.52. The approval of last night’s report will complete the process by way of an authorizing by-law, allowing the town to claim the NOHFC funding for these projects.
The second NOHFC-tied item on the agenda last night was a resolution of support for the 52 Canadians Arena Brine and Controls Upgrade project, which is looking to deal with a number of complications arising from the replacement of the previous compressor at the arena. According to operations and facilities manager Travis Rob, the replacement has revealed issues with the existing plant controller and funding is being allocated in order to get ice back in at the 52 Canadians arena.
“This spring upon ice out in 52 Canadians arena, one of the compressors was due for a rebuild,” Rob wrote in the report.
“At that time it was noted that there was substantial internal damage to the compressor and the decision was made to replace the compressor skid as an un-budgeted capital project. At the completion of that project, at commissioning, the aging, failing controller was determined to be in too poor of state to operate the compressors for the season. Administration brought forward a report to Council for an unbudgeted capital expenditure and applied for funding from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation Community Enhancement Program. On October 16, 2024 the Town received notice from NOHFC that our application was approved at stage one and appropriate stage two documentation was provided. Part of the stage 2 application is a resolution of support from Council for the project.
Rob noted in the report that the overall project costs being submitted to the NOHFC will be $156,000 for its portion, with the town contributing $52,000 and any budget overages, for a total cost of $208,000.
Finally, the town approved a report agreeing to enter into a Conditional Contribution Agreement to support the renovation work being done at the Fort Frances Fire Hall. Work has been ongoing at the hall in an effort to improve conditions for firefighters by removing asbestos flooring throughout the facility, updating the laundry facilities, staff washroom, showers, locker room and HVAC system, constructing a wall to separate the living/recreation space from the space where equipment is operated and chemicals are used/stored, as well as renovating the staff kitchen.
“In January 2024 administration submitted a stage 1 application to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund to support a renovation project at the Fort Frances Firehall,” Rob wrote.
“To date we have started and are almost complete the design works with tenders awarded to Mookii Architecture for the design works.”
According to contribution agreement documents included in the report Rob submitted to council, the total cost of the project across the actual construction and renovation, and engineering and design work, is charted at $488,500, of which the NOHFC will provide $366,375, with the town covering the $122,125 remainder.
