Duane Hicks
How might the Town of Fort Frances effectively use the future Rainy Lake Square year-round–and attract both locals and tourists of all demographics to the area?
Sixteen Fort Frances High School students in the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program participated in a highly-engaging and exciting Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship (ICE) exercise Friday to come up with ideas as to what they would like to see included in the square, which is expected to be built by Aug. 1 where the former Rainy Lake Hotel once stood.
The students, along with business education teachers Shannon Westover and Chris Hill, first visited the Scott Street site and then convened at the Fort Frances Public Library, where they learned more about project from Operations and Facilities manager Travis Rob.
Then they broke into groups, brainstormed ideas, and pitched their ideas to Rob and economic development consultant Tannis Drysdale in a style similar to CBC’s hit show, “Dragon’s Den.”
Group #1, consisting of Chance Windego, Braydon Clink, and Halver Horton, wanted to focus on creating a family-friendly area where both children and their parents can enjoy themselves.
This could include a playground (although they admitted this probably wouldn’t fit into the current design plans), as well as an open eating area where families could have picnics–complete with a water feature such as a fountain–when other events aren’t going on there.
They’d also like the square to offer free Wi-Fi for youths to use, or for parents to use while their kids are playing.
“There’s many services that require Wi-Fi these days and it would be a really nice service to have that Wi-Fi,” reasoned Windego, adding it also would be an incentive for tourists to stop there.
Group #2, consisting of Cassidy Jolicoeur, Brent Morand, and Tayla Trimble, focused on expanding activities into wintertime, such as a winter version of “Mall Days,” as well as having a temporary ice rink in the middle of the square.
“Not a lot of people would be using the stage in the wintertime so you could put [the rink] in front of it,” noted Jolicoeur.
“It would keep more people coming because it’s in a really good area of the town,” she added.
Group #3, consisting of Joleigh Hayes, Ellie Petsnick, and Savannah Whalen, also pitched an outdoor rink, which could be used for skating in the winter and then modified in summer for roller skating, a dance floor, a soccer area, or more space for vendors.
Hayes admitted the designs for the square are in place, but the group feels there still might be a space for a rink (perhaps closer to the back alley).
While one of their classmates questioned the popularity of roller skating, the group countered it might be more popular if there was a place to do it.
It’s difficult to do right now given the condition of the some of the town’s roads, they added.
Group #4, consisting of Davis Jackson, Chris Silver, and Blake Kellar, focused on regularly-scheduled activities during the winter.
Silver said getting people to come out in the summer won’t be a problem. But during the winter, there’s not many tourists while locals like to stay indoors.
“We figured we’d focus on the locals because once you get the locals to come, they might tell their tourist friends or tourists might drive by and see the people there and be interested,” he reasoned.
The group pitched monthly events “that can draw diverse crowds and create an atmosphere of town spirit that is lacking in the winter months,” as well as seasonal events built around holidays and weekly events at the same day and time every week so locals can depend on them.
Monthly events could include a winter carnival or ice sculpture contest while weekly ones might include a campfire, arts and crafts, play dates, or “Maple Syrup Days.”
The square also could host events in conjunction with Hallowe’en or the Santa Claus parade, they added.
“To create even more town spirit, we could recreate a Times Square New Year’s Eve ball drop,” suggested Jackson, adding he’s sure people would want to celebrate a countdown to 2018.
The group also noted high school students looking to bank volunteer hours as a graduation requirement could spend that time helping put on events at the square.
Group #5, consisting of Ryan Ball, Ashton Brenna, Doug deBernardeaux, and Adam Onichuk, offered a wealth of ideas to attract youth, including open mic nights for karaoke or even stand-up comedy, pie-eating contests, scavenger hunts, ice sculptures in winter, and even classic kids’ games like “What Time Is It, Mr. Wolf?”
Thinking even more outside the box, deBernardeaux said the square would be the perfect spot for high school events that would involve more of the community.
“We always have pep rallies in the school,” he noted. “I think it’d be cool getting more of the community out to go out to games and stuff like that.
“Maybe we could use the stage for pep rallies but have the whole town go out to the pep rallies?”
The group also suggested more live music, whether that be concerts by established bands like Marianas Trench, who played at the high school a few years ago, or shows by local ones.
Car and motorcycle shows might be another possible way to get people to come downtown, they said.
Rob and Drysdale both said they were impressed by the ideas presented to them.
They awarded first place to Group #4 for their ideas, followed by Group #5 in second place and Group #1 in third.
“I was surprised by how engaged they got in it,” said Rob.
“They definitely were interested in making the space great and participating in events, and getting engaged in the space overall,” he noted.
“They had some great ideas on events to host and ways to get other youth involved in it,” added Rob.
“It was good.”
Drysdale said some of the ideas pitched can–and will–be done at the new square.
“For sure we’ll be doing open mic nights, for example,” she remarked.
“But the idea of playing games–physical games–downtown was new and it’s easy to do,” Drysdale noted.
“I don’t see why we can’t try it out this summer.
“We need to frame up how it would be funded and how it would work, but I really like the idea of doing a New Year’s Eve in the market square,” added Drysdale.
“I like that one, too,” agreed Rob. “That one’s interesting.”
Drysdale said the square will be built according to designs, but it’s true success or failure depends on programming or, in more blunt terms, “Do people use it?”
“We can’t program more activities if people don’t come to them, and they don’t take initiative and make great use of the square,” she reasoned.
But Drysdale doesn’t think this will be a problem.
“Everything I’ve seen is people are very enthusiastic about it,” she said.
“We’ll sort of get the ball rolling, but I imagine it’s going to be hard to find time to be having your event in the market square in years to come–it’s going to be so busy.”
Students received some small prizes from Westover and promotional items from the town.
A new Facebook page dedicated to the Rainy Lake Square has been created.
The public is urged to follow it to keep up to date with happenings there.
