Duane Hicks
The town is slated to do much-needed sewer and water infrastructure work on the 200 block of Third Street East later this year.
But those plans also include the removal of the sidewalk on the north side of that block—and residents there don’t want it removed.
Marlene Deschamps, representing residents of the 200 block of Third Street East, presented a petition with nearly 40 signatures to council last night.
“We, the undersigned, want mayor and council to reconsider removing the sidewalk from the north side of Third Street East as part of the work being done on this street in 2011,” reads the petition.
Residents want to keep the sidewalk for the following reasons:
•the safety of foot traffic on the street;
•the convenience of those exiting the underpass as they turn right onto the sidewalk;
•the sake of property values, which will decrease if the sidewalk is removed;
•the protection of their yards (people will just walk on the boulevard the town proposes to substitute for the sidewalk);
•the age of the sidewalk does not warrant removal; and
•the sidewalks on this particular street receive a lot of use.
Council referred the petition to the Operations and Facilities executive committee for its recommendation.
Also at last night’s meeting, council:
•approved (as amended) a report regarding the installation of water and sanitary sewer infrastructure for the development of a 10-unit apartment building at 1038 York Ave.;
•approved a Rainy River Future Development Corp. request to help pay to fix the electronic reader board at the border crossing at a cost of $614 to the town;
•approved a recommendation from the Administration and Finance executive committee to request the “wreckage value” insurance coverage option for the town’s property at 850 Williams Ave. (old Huffman School);
•recommended to the Rainy River District Municipal Association that Christine Ruppenstein be a municipal appointee to the Northwest Training and Adjustment Board;
•agreed to proclaim March, 2011 as “Red Cross Month” in the Town of Fort Frances;
•passed a bylaw to impose sewer and water user fees in 2011 (see last week’s Times for details); and
•passed a bylaw to appoint BDO Canada LLP as auditor for the Town of Fort Frances for the fiscal years commencing Jan. 1, 2011 and Jan. 1, 2012.
