West-end rink shack set to be demolished

Town council last night declared the west-end rink shack obsolete, and authorized the Operations and Facilitates division to demolish it in the immediate future.
Operations and Facilitates manager Doug Brown noted in a report to council that the building has been vandalized on a regular basis during the summertime, and was identified as a “hazard” in the 2007 hazard summary report prepared by Frank Cowan Company Ltd.
The west-end ice rink was dismantled last year, so the rink shack no longer has a purpose.
Brown noted Public Works staff have a little extra time prior to the ground thawing, and could tear down the rink shack later this week.
But at the request of Mayor Roy Avis, Brown said he would contact the Fort Frances Fire and Rescue Service to see if they wanted to use the building for a training exercise before getting a town crew to demolish it.
Also at last night’s meeting, council:
•held a public meeting regarding applications or tax adjustment for property at 657 Second St. E. and later approved the adjustment of taxes at this property, as recommended by the Administration and Finance executive committee (the basis for the adjustment is that the house there was demolished last year);
•referred a per capita contribution request from the Rainy River Future Development Corp. for project initiatives to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation (the requested amount is $52,9555—a $70 per capita contribution based on the municipal population of 7,565, as stated in the 2007 Association of Municipalities Directory);
•referred a request from the Fort Frances High School “chem-free” grad committee regarding the waiving of rental fees for the arena and auditorium, and a financial donation towards the purchase of prizes, for the “chem-free grad” party on June 25 to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation;
•referred a request from the Canadian Cancer Society’s “Relay for Life” committee for in-kind services at the local “Relay for Life” event slated June 27-28 to the Operation and Facilities executive committee for its recommendation;
•referred a request from the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship Inc. for financial and in-kind support of the 2008 FFCBC coming up July 20-26 to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation;
•referred a request from the Fort Frances Senior Games Committee for donation of giveaways for the District 1A Senior Games here June 17-19 to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation;
•referred a request from Corey and Natalie Cousineau to use town parks for “laser tag” activities to the Operations and Facilities executive committee for its recommendation;
•supported a request from the Political Action Committee (Thunder Bay District 2-Retired Teachers of Ontario) regarding the lobbying of elected officials for highway upgrades;
•agreed to proclaim May 12-18 as “Nursing Week” in the Town of Fort Frances;
•agreed to proclaim July 4-6 as “Ontario Family Fishing Weekend” in the Town of Fort Frances;
•agreed to proclaim May, 2008 as “Hearing Loss Awareness Month” in the Town of Fort Frances; and
•referred a letter from W. Albright regarding billing for a frozen waterline at 1005 Crowe Ave. to the Operations and Facilities executive committee for its recommendation.