Town council commits to Sunny Cove funds

Fort Frances town council will set aside $215 thousand for potential upgrades to Russell Hall at Sunny Cove Camp.

It comes as the town seeks funding from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund.

Council also agreed Monday night to cover any cost overruns.

“We did at our last council meeting, agree to move forward with looking at repairs,” says Councillor Wendy Brunetta. “I guess if, for some reason, our funding isn’t successful, we’ll have to come back to the table and look at other options.”

Administration pegs improvements of at least $80 thousand, although the extent of upgrades is not fully known.

The camp has sat vacant since the summer of 2019.

A report from administration indicates the structural adequacy of Russell Hall to be compromised with rotting logs up to 5 courses high and a carpenter ant infestation.

The campsite is also suffering from extensive deterioration, with several paved paths that are damaged or have collapsed, and dead trees have fallen over accessways.

“To continue with any sort of operation of Sunny Cove Camp, rehabilitative construction of Russell Hall would need to take place. As a facility available to the public, it is not acceptable to hold operations there in the condition that it is in,” states administration’s report to council.

“Due to the nature of this work, the town must follow its Procurement Policy and award a contract for the project. As the full extent of damage to the structure and remedial work is undetermined, the town would look to obtain a Request for Proposal this fall to have the site assessed and
remedial proposals brought forward.”

The funding schedule would have the RFP funded as an unbudgeted item this year and the remainder of the project costs brought forward in the 2024 Capital Budget.