Duane Hicks
The local seniors’ centre will be more noticeable in the future.
The Fort Frances Seniors’ Centre, also known as the Sister Kennedy Centre, has ordered a 4’x 8′ sign for the northwest corner of the property (Nelson Street and Victoria Avenue), Coun. June Caul said at last night’s council meeting.
The new sign ties into the rebranding of the centre, she explained.
“There’s been a stigma with the centre for quite a few years because a lot of people felt that it was just for Catholics [because of the name],” Coun. Caul told the Times.
“We’ve really been pushing that with people and saying, ‘No, it’s for everybody,'” she added.
The sign will read Fort Frances Seniors’ Centre.
The Sister Kennedy Centre logo also will be on one of the corners of the new sign, as will the town’s “Boundless” logo.
The Sister Kennedy name will be left on the building to honour Sister Betty Kennedy and the building’s history.
Coun. Caul said the centre is welcoming new seniors all the time, adding new manager Cindy Noble “is doing such a good job.”
“She’s really made the place more positive to come into,” she noted, urging seniors to drop by on Thursdays, when a special lunch is offered for an affordable price.
In related news, Coun. Caul said the centre is hoping to hold another seniors’ fair in early fall, and has applied for a grant to do so.
She also noted while card games are popular at the centre, some people feel there needs to be a greater variety of activities offered.
Coun. Caul urged anyone with ideas for other activities that could be done there to give her a call (274-2209).
In other business, council:
•heard a presentation from Melissa Pearson, president of OPSEU Local 735, regarding the “We Own It” campaign against the privatization of public services;
•heard a presentation from consultant Tannis Drysdale re: economic development activities of the Rainy River Future Development Corp.;
•appointed Gord McBride to the Economic Development Advisory Committee, Irene Laing to the Citizen of the Year committee, and Donald Taylor to the Committee of Adjustment (terms of office expire Nov. 30, 2018);
•approved a five-year forest fire management agreement with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry;
•approved a purchase card expense claim for Fort Frances CAO Doug Brown in the amount of $282.05 for his attendance at the ROMA conference held Jan. 28-31 in Toronto;
•adopted standard operating procedures for the water treatment plant’s emergency stand-by generator as a policy of the Town of Fort Frances; and
•approved a travel expense claim for Coun. Caul in the amount of $116.39 (for attendance at the AMO conference in Windsor last Aug. 14-17).
