Fort Frances Fire Chief Retires

(Gerry Armstrong (l) receives plaque from C.A.O Mark McCaig

The town of Fort Frances is losing its fire chief.

Gerry Armstrong is retiring at the end of this year after five years at the helm.

"It's something I've been thinking about now for the last number of months," says Armstrong. "I guess my return to Fort Frances as fire chief was one of those things that really was not probably going to be a long term situation."

Armstrong joined the fire department in 1976, leaving in 1986 to take a position with the Ontario Fire Marshall's office before returning as fire chief.

Citizen of the Year Recognized

(Committee Chair Bill Gushalak (l) with Mark Kowalchuk who accepted award for Joyce Cunningham on her behalf)


The town of Fort Frances honoured its retiring employees and volunteers at its appreciation dinner Friday night.

The town also recognized its Citizen of the Year, Joyce Cunningham.

Chair of the selection committee Bill Gushalak says her work on the new town Library makes her deserving of the award.

"Always mindful of what the project could and would do for all age levels within our community and surrounding district, our recipient persevered," says Gushalak. "She dedicated herself and through this dedication was able to attract and inspire a strong committee to get the job done."

Cunningham was unable to attend due to a prior commitment as chair of the Ontario Library Board Association.

Act of Kindness Website Online

(Sherri Loveday of Suds and Tubs is donating laundry services for the Act of Kindness Community Chest fundraiser - photo courtesy http://www.acts-of-kindness.ca/)


A new website has been established for next week's Act of Kindness fundraiser in support of the Fort Frances Community Chest.

Committee member Dale Fortes says they're using it to play a form of Tag in hopes of generating more interest in the December 3 event.

"You can go on there and we're going to start a new process of tagging where we're encouraging people to take a picture of themselves in the act of kindness they're going to donate," says Fortes, "and challenging a friend, a co-worker or another business."

So far, more than sixty services and products will be up for bidding ranging from rides for seniors to fishing trips to area lodges.

Park Bursary Awarded

(Left to Right - Nick Lawrence, Partner Representative, Van Houtte Inc.; Adair Ireland-Smith, Director, Ontario Parks; Theresa McDonald, bursary recipient; John Winters, Bursary Chair; and Virginia West, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources - supplied photo)

An Atikokan woman is among forty students receiving educational bursaries for their work at Ontario Parks this past summer.

Melissa Miller, a student at Confederation College, was employed at Quetico Provincial Park.

Winners were nominated by park visitors as well as the students' peers and supervisors for their dedication, customer service, initiative and leadership.

Hydro Rates Changing

The expensive hours for using electricity will change slightly next spring as the Ontario government moves to cut soaring hydro bills.

Government sources say that starting in May, off-peak electricity rates in Ontario will start at 7 p.m. instead of at 9.

An official announcement is expected today.