2009-04-15
06:41:19
The fundraising chair for the new Fort Frances Library and technology centre wants town council to hold a special meeting to reconsider its decision to reject the project's construction contract.
Mark Kowalchuk says he was shocked by Monday's decision, but feels there is some hope to have it built this year
"The good news is that there may still be a very small window of opportunity to build the library-technology centre as designed," says Kowalchuk. "If, after council’s decision to kill the project, they realize the full financial and political implications for now and many years to come, this project could still move ahead."
"We had corporate sponsorship, and provincial and federal sponsorship on this project, along with the local fundraising efforts, and I just think that there's more to this decision to whether or not this library get built. I think the ramifications can be extreme."
Kowalchuk says project also represents an opportunity to foster new business and attract new investment.
Fort Frances Mayor Roy Avis is confident construction of the library and technology centre can be built this year. Avis says there is council support for a new library and with a little Avis feels a little fine-tuning of the numbers will help deliver a plan council can live with.
"We have to look at the municipal portion, the ongoing maintenance costs in the years to come," says Avis. "I think with a little bit of fine tuning we can get it back on the right tracks."
Avis is also hopeful those who contributed to the project financially will continue to do so.
Meantime, one of the main contributors to the Fort Frances library project won't be withdrawing its funding just yet.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines says until there is an official announcement from the town that the project will not proceed, the Ministry remains committed to the nearly 440-thousand dollars announced in January.
But Anne-Marie Flanagan confirmed the money can not be used for anything else and would have to be forfeited if the project does not go ahead.
