Staff
Town council referred a financial request from the Rainy River Future Development Corp.—to help pay to put up new gateway banners on the Lap building—to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation at Monday night’s meeting.
In a letter from RRFDC chair Russ Fortier, he noted that as part of the original gateway project, which saw a sequence of banners put up on the side of Lap building, a second set of banners was purchased and stored in anticipation of installation this spring.
At that time, the RRFDC decided to commit $10,000 to install the banners.
On Jan. 31, a wind storm tore the banner and frame from the side of the Lap building, and minor damage was done a to a vehicle passing at the time, he added.
The RRFDC has received a new quote of $25,786 to reinstall the banners, which is higher than the original quote for $10,000 due to the need for new framing and other factors.
The RRFDC is asking its partners in the gateway banner project to help pay the extra cost.
It is asking Fort Frances, Kenora, Naotkamegwanning and Onigaming FN, Dryden/Vermilion Bay, Kay-Nah-Chi-Wa-Nung, and Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls for $2,631 each, which in addition to the RRFDC’s share of $10,000, will enable the RRFDC to have the second set of banners installed in time for the tourist season.
Also at Monday night’s meeting, council referred a list of requested services from the Business Improvement Association’s board to the Operations and Facilities executive committee for its recommendation, with input from the Administration and Finance executive committee.
The list of items for budget consideration include:
•new light fixtures for all 36 lamps in the BIA area;
•new recycling receptacles and pickup in the BIA area (minimum of four per block);
•new garbage cans for the BIA area (min. of four per block);
•new benches for the BIA area (min. of four per block);
•weekly downtown clean-up services in the spring, summer, and fall (washing of benches, garbage cans, sweeping of corners, etc.);
•financial support in promoting the downtown area and events in the amount of $5,000;
•snow removal from all handicap parking spots on the street in winter months; and
•replacement of tree in front of Wes Derksen’s law office on Scott Street (the tree was removed by the town in 2006).
