Duane Hicks
The town is hoping to get federal funding this spring for a wildlife fence to keep deer off airport property.
While going over the 2011 capital budget at a meeting yesterday afternoon, Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown said the town applied for funding under Transport Canada’s Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP).
He noted the application has been reviewed—and has met the priority list.
Brown added ACAP recipients should be announced in the next month, coinciding with the federal budget which is scheduled to be tabled March 22 in the House of Commons.
If it comes through, the federal grant would cover the entire cost of the fence, which is budgeted at $572,520.
The 3.6-km fence would surround the entire airport property to prevent wildlife from getting in.
As previously reported, the airport has experienced problems with deer on the runway for past few years.
While permitting members of the Fort Frances Sportsmen’s Club to hunt deer at the airport has served as a short-term solution, the town always has maintained the preferred long-term one is a wildlife fence.
Meanwhile, mayor and council continue to work through the 2011 budget, spending yesterday’s meeting cutting about $1.1 million from the capital budget.
Some items of interest staying in the budget include:
•the reconstruction of Third Street East from Mowat Avenue to Portage Avenue, including road, water, and sewer ($1.26 million, about $1 million of which is being funded through water and sewer reserves);
•road upgrades to Portage Avenue at the storm sewer pumping station ($266,667);
•lift weight scale and landfill site building ($20,000);
•road surface treatment on Osborne Street from Christie to Armit Avenue ($23,000);
•a new backhoe/loader ($130,000);
•waterfront dock repairs ($20,000);
•two centre railings for stairs in the stands at the Ice For Kids Arena ($8,000);
•surveillance cameras for the Memorial Sports Centre ($6,400);
•HVAC systems work for the Civic Centre ($30,000);
•handicapped van replacement ($90,000); and
•three half-ton trucks ($105,000 total).
Some items cut from the budget include:
•cleaning/painting of the underpass ($25,000);
•Sorting Gap Marina bathroom renovations ($7,500);
•road surface treatment for Frog Creek Road ($55,650);
•road surface treatment for Oakwood Road ($44,877);
•office upgrades for the Public Works engineering office and Operations and Facilities manager’s office ($12,000);
•sidewalk machine with snow blower attachment ($105,000);
•north-end outdoor rink shack ($45,000);
•Civic Centre sign ($20,000); and
•Pither’s Point washrooms masonry block repairs, exterior/interior painting ($40,000).
Some items remain a “maybe” at this point.
In addition to the airport fencing, the reconstruction of Scott Street from Reid Avenue to Colonization Road East ($1.9 million), vertical and water rescue equipment for the fire department ($15,300) and a rescue unit ($88,880), and a steel roof for the Sister Kennedy Centre ($20,000) all hinge on the town getting specific grants.
Another budget item put aside for the time being is a sand/salt shed for Public Works ($528,278).
Mayor and council will revisit the capital budget at their next budget meeting slated for March 21.
