Town to hold public meeting on outdoor rinks

FORT FRANCES—As part of its long-term plan for the outdoor rinks in Fort Frances, the town will be holding a public meeting later this month to get input on what local residents would like to see.
The meeting is slated for Thursday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. at the Civic Centre.
At this time, town administration is recommending the following long-term development plan for upgrades to the outdoor rink facilities be considered:
•replacing the north end outdoor rink on Sixth Street School property with two rinks (one hockey rink with boards, one smaller one without boards) on town property in the north end;
•reducing the number of rinks from five to four (keeping the east end, north end, McIrvine Road, and Robert Moore rinks open while shutting down the Lillie Avenue one);
•disallowing the use of the inside of all rink shacks to the general public, and attaching outdoor benches to existing buildings so users can put on their skates; and
•through the budget process, start replacing the existing outdoor rink shacks with smaller maintenance sheds, where the water supply, electrical equipment for lighting, and ice-making equipment will be stored (one shed will be built each year, in 2007 through 2010).
At the same time as the rink shacks are being built, the existing ice surface areas will be levelled out, existing boards will be repaired and upgraded (high screening will be installed at both ends of the hockey rink), and smaller ice skating rinks (about half the size of the hockey rinks) will be installed on the same properties.
Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown explained in a report that the town took over the flooding of rinks, snow removal, and building maintenance at the rinks last winter, at which time it became apparent some facilities had been run into a poor state of repair (especially through vandalism) and that a long-term development plan to upgrade and standardize rinks was needed.
As well, the town opened a second indoor ice surface in 2000, and the general public is not utilizing outdoor rink facilities as much as in the past, giving the town reason to review these facilities.
Both council and administration stressed the importance of the public’s attendance at the Oct. 26 meeting.
“We have to make the decision if we’re in the outdoor rink business or not,” said Coun. Todd Hamilton of the meeting.
Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft noted the plan includes “substantial changes,” and that public input is crucial.
“If people are concerned, that’s the time for feedback,” agreed CAO Mark McCaig.
He stressed the plan is not final—the meeting is about a proposed development plan, and that plan will come back to council for final approval in December, prior to the 2006/07 rink season.
(Fort Frances Times)