Duane Hicks
After hosting a successful inaugural “Harmony of Nations Music Festival” this summer, the Rainy River Future Development Corp. has begun planning for a second one next July.
Regional economic developer Geoff Gillon told town council Monday night that the event was a successful partnership between the RRFDC and area First Nations and Métis, which culminated in “an absolutely wonderful show on the waterfront.”
While Gillon admitted it could have been better attended, there should be more visitors next year now that the festival is established.
“We’re very pleased with the way it went and we’re looking to do another one next summer, as long as we can get our tent fixed and put up again,” said Gillon, thanking the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship for all its on-site work this past July.
The RRFDC currently is in the process of writing grant applications to various provincial organizations, including Celebrate Ontario, the Tourism Event Marketing Program, and the Ontario Arts Council Northern Arts Grant.
The artist selection committee will be meeting this month, and hopes to have artists selected and signed by Jan. 1.
Meanwhile, the RRFDC got the Fort Frances tourist information centre open this past summer.
It is working with a partner, the Sunset Country Travel Association, to improve the centre in 2015 with more information and displays.
“I think from the point-of-view of the Town of Fort Frances, it’s a place where we can stop and hold people as they come across the border,” said Gillon.
He added he’s optimistic about getting help from FedNor on a signage project on the International Falls’ side to let U.S. visitors know about the tourist information centre before they reach the bridge.
In other news, while the town has received almost $1 million from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp. for the demolition and redevelopment of the Rainy Lake Hotel into the Rainy Lake Market Square, it still is waiting “with bated breath” for FedNor to approve the $655,000 requested to make the project a reality.
“Once that is approved, and we’re sure we’re going to move forward with this project, we’ll work with the community to finalize the design and tweak what we’re going to put on that site once the hotel is gone,” Gillon told council.
“I’m actually really excited about that,” he added.
“It’s about time we put something new downtown that will attract people and keep the businesses a little more solvent.”
Gillon also noted the “Go Local” program is now in its second year.
As of Sept. 30, there was 3,931 card-holders, 2,659 of whom are registered.
In order to get more people registered going forward, RRFDC intern Jamie Petrin has brought sign-up sheets to merchant members.
She also reinforced the fact that card-holders can register via paper if they are not comfortable with registering on the Internet.
A total of 787,364 points have been issued and $35,845 in gift cards has been given out to loyalty members—money that ultimately returns to the pockets of local businesses.
“Go Local” issues gift cards monthly once a loyalty member has reached 300 points.
A third party has told the “Go Local” program that card usage exceeds Air Miles usage here, and that program awareness in Fort Frances was at 82 percent.
This review also deemed there has been a 20 percent increase in local spending by reward card members.
“Go Local” currently is in the middle of its second “Go Local Month,” which features larger-scale promotions, social media quizzes, and more.
Gillon also reported that the first meeting of the Community Foundation steering committee was held in September, at which time Cathy Emes agreed to chair the process.
A teleconference will be held with the Kenora Foundation later this fall.
A community foundation is an independent, volunteer-driven, charitable organization which partners with donors to build permanent endowments.
These funds then are invested back into the community in the form of grants to support community projects.
