‘Tomorrow’ report well-received by town council

After more than a year in the making, the “Tomorrow 2000+” report officially was presented to the town council here Monday night by committee chair Jim Cumming.
“Collected in 1997/98, this document is a record of people’s suggestions that would make this district a better place to live,” began Cumming, noting responses were collected from residents from Mine Centre to Rainy River.
The contents of the 130-page report are opinions on a number of issues, such as senior citizens, the local economy and job markets, and the environment.
The report is to be used as a resource guide for municipal governments when considering the preliminary stages of any projects or policies being planned.
“We encourage citizens, community leaders, those right on up to the government level, to see this as a vision of the future that the people of the district want,” Cumming said.
Coun. Struchan Gilson wondered how public opinions differed in this new study as opposed to the original “Tomorrow” report compiled in 1993?
“Before, people would say, ‘The government should do this or that,’ when they made suggestions,” replied Cumming. “Now, it’s ‘we’
must work together to achieve this.
“I suspect it’s simply a change in attitude over time,” Cumming continued. “As resources have diminished through the two upper levels of government, it’s all come down to the local government.
“People seem to finally be saying, ‘If we want action, we should do it ourselves,” he concluded.
“What’s the next step, then?” Coun. Gilson asked.
Cumming explained that some of the ideas gleaned from the report already were being tested in tandem with groups like the Rainy River Valley Safety Coalition.
“Back in November, when the World Health Organization president visited, we brought people into place to work on preliminary action plans.
“Some of the plans are already being considered,” he remarked.
Council applauded Cumming as chair of the committee, and praised its efforts in compiling the report.
Cumming gave a copy to the Town of Fort Frances municipal library. Copies have been, or soon will be, distributed to all municipal leaders, libraries, hospitals, and First Nations in the area.