Water restriction back to normal

As of Monday, the water tower is now back in service, and as a result the modified water restriction has been lifted.
However, the normal by-law odd/even day water usage restriction will be in effect until Sept. 15.
Environmental and facilities superintendent Doug Herr reported to council Thursday evening that the water tower has been completely painted and most of the renovations have been done, but there still remains a couple deficiencies at the water tower that have to be addressed. These include the boiler system not being completely installed (they’re waiting for pump parts) and new chlorination system, which is about 25 percent complete. These deficiencies should be corrected by mid-September.
While painting of the water tower has finished up, there have been reports of some cars just north and a little bit to the west of the tower being hit by paint from the overspray, said Herr in an interview yesterday.
“We’ve actually talked to each person that had the overspray,” he said. “They have been instructed to go and get an appraisal done, on getting the work done, and then we actually forward that information to the contractor, because it’s actually up the contractor to make sure that this work gets done.”
The town will also be keeping a record of those appraisals, said Herr, so that when they go to make a payment for the work done on the water tower, money can be retained until the work needed to fix the vehicles is completed.
Underpass work
After being delayed for the past few weeks, construction on the Portage Avenue underpass started up again yesterday.
The delays were due to shoring modifications and modifications to the footings on the abutment wall and soil anchors into the main bridge structure.
With the work now underway, the public should know that Portage Avenue from Third Street to Fifth Street will be restricted to emergency vehicle traffic from now until this Friday afternoon. This restriction will be in-effect from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. today through Thursday and on Friday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Motorists needing vehicle access to the north end of Fort Frances must utilize the McIrvine Road crossing during the restriction period. One lane of the underpass will be open from 8 p.m.-9 a.m. tonight through Thursday, and after 4 p.m. Friday evening.
This daily road closure is necessary to protect the health and safety of the general public during the excavation and installation of new approach wall footing.
Local emergency service agencies are well aware of the situation and have taken the appropriate steps to ensure continuous emergency services can be provided to the north end of the community during this time.
These steps include an established protocol to allow emergency vehicles access through the construction zone during the daily road shutdown period, and alternate provisions to ensure access is available in the event that the primary route is unavailable.
The public is being asked for their cooperation in ensuring that public safety, and reliable access for emergency vehicles is maintained during the construction period.
A pedestrian traffic walkway will be available and clearly marked during construction and all pedestrian traffic is encouraged to utilize this walkway.
Utilizing CNR property to cross the tracks will be considered a trespass by CNR.
Central Avenue
Herr also said the work on Central Avenue resumed last week, and is continuing according to schedule, with the contractor currently working on the water and sewer infrastructure north of the intersection. This phase will be completed by Sept. 6. Work on the sidewalks, curbs and gutters will follow, with paving expected to start by mid-September.
He clarified that while there was a period of time crews were not working at Central Avenue, this is because they were waiting for a new manhole to arrive as well as the fact contractor Bay City Contracting was doing water and sewer installation on Eighth Street for the youth detention facility being built there.
Town CAO Mark McCaig also pointed out that at times the crews are not seen working there because they work a 10 days on/four days off schedule.