Festival Opens

2009-04-14

07:57:54

The Rainy River District Festival of the Performing Arts is underway.

The event opened with vocal competitions yesterday with Anne Jean, Caitlin Sande and Lauren Gurski each winning honours in two separate categories.

The vocal competitions continue Tuesday at Donald Young School. Here is a list of all winners from the first event's first day.

FESTIVAL RESULTS, VOCAL DIVISION, Monday, April 13, 2009

 

CLASS V175

                First – Karrigan Johnston

CLASS V100

                First – Naomi Carradice

                Second – Karrigan Johnston

CLASS V101

                First – Star Jewell Martin

CLASS V102        

                First – Anne Jean

CLASS V103

                First – Alyssa Van Drunen

CLASS V104

                First – Isaac Firth

CLASS V106

                First – Emily Brown

CLASS V107

                First – Phoebe Firth

                Second – Ericka Tymkin

CLASS V108

                First – Caitlyn Sande

                Second – Jessica Whalen

CLASS V109

                First – Lauren Gurski

                Second – Katelyn Shortreed

CLASS V144

                First – Anne Jean

CLASS V145

                First – Maggie Gauthier

CLASS V146

                First – Caitlin Sande

                Second – Ericka Tymkin

CLASS V148

                First – Lauren Gurski

CLASS V168

                First – Dylan Ossachuk

CLASS V169

                First – Taylor Shouldice

                Second – Kenzie Godin

CLASS V170

                First – Ericka Tymkin

                Second – Phoebe Firth

CLASS V171

                First – Katelyn Shortreed

                Second – Jessica Whalen

CLASS V172

                First – Melissa Friesen

                Second – Rebecca Sokoliuk

CLASS V173

                First – Debbie Friesen

Zebra Mussels Found

2009-04-14

07:51:38

A recent discovery of zebra mussel shells in a Minnesota lake has the state's Department of Natural Resources issuing warnings to boaters of the importance of making sure their vessels are free of invasive species before launching.

The D.N.R. is not certain if the shells found in Prior Lake were from living mussels or were brought there, the department says its likely the lake is infested.

Zebra mussels were first discovered in Minnesota 20 years ago in the Duluth harbour and have since spread to a number of inland lakes.

Road Work Starts in May

2009-04-14

07:39:44

A major road project is about to begin in Fort Frances next month.

The $5.4 million dollar project will see upgrades to Portage Avenue beginning at First Street, Nelson Street and parts of Victoria Avenue. Operations and Facilities Manager Doug Brown says a public meeting will be held in the near future to discuss the work because of the impact it will have to several facilities.

"We are going to affect (access to) the hospital, police station, fire hall, and others," says Brown. "A preconstruction meeting is of the essence so that we haven't forgotten something."

The town has secured more than $2 million in government grants for the project with a large portion of the remaining costs being covered through its share of the federal gas tax allocation. C-A-O Mark McCaig says the project will address a number of safety issues in the area.

"There's going to be a lot of trucks travelling from the biomass land-mining sites at the landfill," says McCaig. "There's going to be travelling under our underpass and the road needs to be truck ready."

Work is to begin May 4 with a target end date of September 18.

Hallet and Fire Tower Contract Decision Delayed

2009-04-14

07:25:24

There was no decision from Fort Frances town councillors Monday night on a contract to move the tugboat Hallet and fire tower from Pither's Point Park to the waterfront.

Community Services Manager George Bell says a conference call with the contractor to get further information had to be postponed until next week. That will delay council's decision on the proposed $1.3 million contract until its next week in two weeks.

Councillor Paul Ryan questioned whether the pending end of a lease for Pither's Point Park would impact the project.

"If we do do this job and the contract is awarded, there could be a possibility our assets are on somebody else's property, said Ryan. "I'm just wondering if that will create a problem when we go on the property and try to get our stuff off of it."

The town's lease for the Park expires at the end of the month. Town lawyers will be in court Wednesday seeking an extension.

 

Council Says No to Building Contract

2009-04-14

06:51:19

Fort Frances town councillors voted down last night a construction contract for the new library and technology centre.

Nearly fifty library supporters left dejected after a 5 to 2 vote against accepting the $3.7 million contract. Councillor Rick Wiedenhoeft says it was the overall costs of $4.7 million and the town's portion that swayed him to vote no.

"My concern is that if you look at the potential expenditure of this project," say Wiedenhoeft, "the potential expenditure could be in the high of $1.5 to $1.6 million....if things don't fall into place. I think if you look at a project of this size, you have to look at the potential expenditure as being a possibility."

Councillor Ken Perry also felt the town was not in a position to proceed.

"I think the plan for the library is too grand of scheme for us," says Perry. "I'm afraid that down the road we're not going to be able to afford the budget of a new library. When you build a bigger building, the budget for the new building is bigger than the old one and that's what's going to happen here."

Chair of the Fort Frances Library Board Joyce Cunningham was disappointed by the decision. The board's been working toward a new library for nearly 15 years. Cunningham doesn't believe there's anything more than board can do.

"This is something that would be good for the citizens of the community, but it would also be an economic stimulus," says Cunningham, "and in fact when we received the $1.6 million (from the Ministry of Culture) that was a major part of the reason we got that. so I'm extremely disappointed by what has happened."

Cunningham also stands by comments made last week that a no vote would essentially kill the project. The decision by council came as word of a $25,000 donation from an unidentified donor was set to be announced.

While all of council agreed there was a need for a new library, only councillors Sharon Tibbs and Andrew Hallikas felt council should have accepted the contract.