Tennis courts among requests

Duane Hicks

Don’t forget about the new tennis courts.
That’s the reminder the Multi-Use Tennis Court Committee gave town council during its public budget meeting last night.
In a letter to council, committee chair Bob Tkachuk asked the town keep $112,000 earmarked in the 2015 budget in next year’s budget.
“As council is well aware, the Multi-Use Tennis Court Committee has always set 2016 as our target date for the building of this facility,” Tkachuk wrote.
“We are well on our way to achieving that goal.
“It is our hope that council remains steadfast in their support for this most worthwhile project,” he added.
“To that end, we ask that the $112,000 placed in the 2015 budget for the Multi-Use Tennis Court facility remain as a line item in the 2016 budget.
“Once again, the committee is most appreciative of the support from the Town of Fort Frances, for financial consideration, for your assistance in allowing payments to be made at the town with tax receipts issued, and the significant co-operation of your finance department in helping us achieve our goal,” Tkachuk noted.
Meanwhile, the local dog park group still hopes to get its project off the ground in 2016.
Carey Basaraba, with the “Paws Around Town” committee, also asked council to include money earmarked for a new off-leash dog park to be carried over into next year’s budget.
“All I’m proposing is that for the budget next year, the money that was allocated for the park be available starting in the spring,” he told council last night.
“Just in case we do actually get this going, it would be nice not be held up for not having it in the budget,” Basaraba said.
“Other than that, hopefully it goes.”
Basaraba first mentioned the idea of a dog park during a public meeting concerning dogs at Seven Oaks in late January.
He then officially proposed the project to council in April.
Also at yesterday’s budget meeting, Rick Wiedenhoeft, chair of the local Police Services Board, asked council to include money in the PSB budget for electronic speed signs here.
Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce president Jennifer Greenhalgh, meanwhile, asked the town to increase the Chamber’s tourism marketing grant from $7,500 to $9,500.
Dave Coates of the Fun in the Sun committee asked for $2,000 more for Canada Day fireworks in 2016.
And Ian McKay, representing a group of Memorial Sports Centre gym members, asked the town to make some improvements there for the sake of health and safety.