Duane Hicks
The OFSAA Hockey 2017 committee showed its thanks to the Town of Fort Frances for its support of the OFSAA ‘A/AA’ boys’ hockey championship held here last month.
Committee chair Bob Miller presented mayor and council with a large, framed photo of the 2016-17 Muskie boys’ hockey team during last night’s council meeting.
On behalf of the OFSAA Hockey 2017 committee, Miller thanked Mayor Roy Avis, the council, and the Town of Fort Frances for their sponsorship of the event.
He also thanked Community Services manager Jason Kabel and the arena staff for their help.
“Anything we needed, they were there to help; they supplied whatever we needed,” Miller noted.
The town’s help was just the tip of the community spirit iceberg, though, as many parties helped make the tourney a roaring success, he stressed.
Miller thanked Emo and Couchiching First Nation for use of their ice surfaces, as well as those district businesses and residents who sponsored the event and helped “colour the district black and gold.”
“It made it possible for the committee to put on a tournament that the teams from the east couldn’t believe,” he remarked.
“They left Fort Frances with the memories of a lifetime.”
The committee also thanked the fans who made sure the games were sold-out.
“Even though there were a few empty seats, they were sold out; we couldn’t sell them because Jason [Kabel] might have been in trouble if we sold them and then everybody showed up,” Miller chuckled.
Mayor Roy Avis said he’s not heard anything negative about the 2017 OFSAA tournament.
“It was so well-planned, so well-executed,” he noted.
Mayor Avis admitted he did not get to attend as much of it as he would like to have, but was well aware of the positive buzz heard in “every coffee shop in town.”
Coun. June Caul said she doesn’t think there’s a person in Fort Frances who could thank Miller enough for all he has done.
“You’ve been a long-time hockey service in Fort Frances, just yourself alone,” she noted.
“We’re very fortunate to have someone like you in Fort Frances to organize and head up a committee like this.
“You really did an awesome job,” Coun. Caul added.
“Thank you. I had a great time. It was fun,” Miller replied.
“I had a great committee.”
Also at last night’s meeting, council:
•referred a sponsorship request from “Tour de Fort” to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation, with input from the Community Services executive committee;
•approved a volunteer firefighter employment policy;
•approved the annual review of the health and safety policy;
•agreed to several in-kind requests from the Boundary Waters Dragon Boat Festival;
•agreed to support the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Legal Defence Fund request and authorized payment in the amount of $206.67;
•authorized acceptance of the O.P.P. office lease agreement audited financials for the year ended Dec. 31, 2016 and further authorized payment of the invoice for same in the amount of $1,587.09;
•authorized acceptance of the Provincial Offences Fort Frances Court Services Area Trust Fund audited financials for the year ended Dec. 31, 2016 and further authorized payment of the invoice for same in the amount of $3,916.81;
•awarded Tender 17-PD-04 (renovations to the Civic Centre, Public Works Building, Sunny Cove, Memorial Sports Centre, and Children’s Complex) to Quality Builders in the amount of $198,270; and
•authorized entering into a municipal access agreement with Tbaytel for the installation of fibre optic network within the Town of Fort Frances.
