With a final report turned over to the town, and the hiring of a co-ordinator and formation of a new committee pending council approval, “exciting news” has come about indicating the “Re-Inventing Fort Frances” project can keep heading in the planned direction.
“It’s exciting news,” Susan Bodnarchuk, chair of the current “Re-Inventing” committee, told council during its regular meeting Monday night.
“We have representatives [Fort Frances CAO] Bill Naturkach and Larry Syrovy in Toronto right now, meeting with the Ministry of Tourism and the Ontario Realty Corp.,” she noted. “The meetings have went really, really well. Everyone’s excited about moving forward with this.”
The Ontario Realty Corp., which has expressed a “keen desire” to explore building a new Ontario Travel Information Centre here, figures into part of “Re-Inventing’s” long-term plans to drastically alter Church Street and make it more tourist friendly—a “can’t miss” opportunity, said Bodnarchuk.
“They realize the location they’re in is no longer suitable with the new Customs facility,” she noted. “They want to make a move by 2004, and it’s important for us to act on it now.”
Bodnarchuk added close involvement with the province at this point also could help with future co-operation in re-developing Church Street or other facets of the “Re-Inventing” plan.
The new tourism centre is but one part of the final plan which was presented to council Monday. But the plan—which consists of two fairly thick, bound documents—was not discussed at that time.
“We appreciate you need the time to go through it. But what we need tonight is a commitment for a meeting so we can discuss this,” said Bodnarchuk.
“I think it behooves council, with all the presentations we’ve heard from the committee, to spend two-three hours to sit down and make a list of any questions they might have,” suggested Mayor Glenn Witherspoon.
Council agreed to set a time and date for a future meeting in the next few weeks.
Two other recommendations made upon turning over the final report were referred to the Administration and Finance executive committee for a recommendation.
“With the final report now complete, our role as a ‘Re-Inventing’ committee has been fulfilled,” said Bodnarchuk. “So what we want to do now is form a new committee to determine how we’ll move forward from here.
“It’s been a very interesting time working on this, and we’ve enjoyed doing it. We don’t want to see it sit on a shelf,” she stressed.
This “community group” would represent a variety of area stakeholders beyond the initial committee. The report included a list of possible candidates.
A second recommendation was for council’s permission to hire a project co-ordinator, which would advise the town on matters relevant to implementing aspects of the “Re-Inventing” plan, and assist in developing, identifying, refining, and clarifying tasks, procedures, budgets, timetables, funding applications, and more.
This co-ordinator would be retained at a cost of $150,000, which would be funded jointly by FedNor, the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp., Rainy River Future Development Corp., the Town of Fort Frances, and other partners.
The contract would be for a two-year period, ideally starting this spring, said Bodnarchuk. Draft proposals for funding have been prepared, but “Re-Inventing” needs the town’s official backing in order for the application process to continue.
Committee vice-chair Sam Woods said it’s important for the town to keep working at the “Re-Inventing” vision as there are opportunities in the upcoming year to get make some of the plans a reality.
For instance, he noted sponsors for a mural on the “lap” building at the mill—part of Phase I of the “Re-Inventing” plan—might be rounded up at the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association meeting here May 1-3.
Copies of the report are now available at the Fort Frances Public Library and the Fort Frances Museum.
Fort Frances Times
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