Fort Frances Mayor reflects on 2023

The mayor of Fort Frances says 2023 was a busy year for town council’s first full year in office.

Andrew Hallikas says a lot was done to ensure a smooth-running council.

He says as the year progressed, council has gelled as a governing body, passing its first budget in the spring.

“Throughout the year, we did a number of things. We completed and implemented a governance review. That allows administration and council to operate more transparently and much more efficiently,” says Hallikas.

A new strategic plan was also developed, which Hallikas says will guide council and administration during this term in office.

“What I really like about the plan, the strategic plan, (is that) it was developed with a great deal of community input. So that all got put into the plan. And so it really is the community’s strategic plan.”

The town is now in the midst of a recreation master plan that will examine how and what recreation programs are offered.

A community survey was completed near the end of the year.

Hallikas says there were continued efforts to improve programming.

“There have been lots of great concerts and entertainment in the community auditorium. There’s been more entertainment and a farmers market at Rainy Lake Square.”

Hallikas is also proud of municipal services such as the water plant, road maintenance and the fire department.

The water treatment plant regularly gets top marks when inspected, while the fire department is busy with prevention and education of fire safety.

“They do fire drills at Rainycrest. They ensure places like Rainycrest, the hospital, and the Civic Centre are compliant with sprinkler systems so that they’re safe. Just as a rough figure, I know they’ve done something like 200 inspections of businesses, apartment buildings, schools, and manors, ensuring that our community is safe. So it’s not just about fighting fires, it’s about preventing them.”

Hallikas is equally as proud of the work of the OPP and ambulance service.

“And I have to mention the Fort Francis Power Corporation, which I’m really proud of. They’re constantly upgrading and expanding. Right now, they’re working on getting a second feeder line into Fort Frances, which will really give us improved electricity for the future.”

Hallikas notes the FFPC employees have worked 15 1/2 years without a lost time accident.

Many businesses and organizations struggled for employees in 2023.

The town of Fort Frances also faced several departures but was able to fill several key positions.

In the past year, the town hired a new chief building official, two new bylaw enforcement officers, an economic development officer, a new deputy treasurer, an aquatic supervisor at the pool, a community and culture manager, an asset management coordinator, an interim environmental superintendent, a Provincial Offenses Act courts administrator, a new programming and events coordinator, and a communications officer and deputy clerk.

A decision on a full-time Chief Administrative Officer is expected to come early in the new year.

“We’re in an excellent position in terms of staffing now, and also to kick off 2024. I think we’re going to be a much more productive and efficient organization now that we have all of these positions filled. That makes me very optimistic about our ability to get things done.”

Hallikas credits staff who took on extra duties until the positions were filled.

There are also some major capital projects in 2023.

It was highlighted by the construction of a new spray park at Legion Park.

An official opening is planned for the spring.

With it came improvements to Lillie Avenue and new traffic lights at the intersection with King’s Highway.

“We have a brand new recycling building. Our old one burnt down, but in five months, we managed to build a brand new one. And even without the recycling building, we managed to almost recycle as much material as before it burnt down. That’s thanks to our dedicated public works department.”

Other projects included the expansion of the Sister Kennedy Centre, renovation at the Memorial Sportsplex Pool, improvements to the landfill office and scales, new docks at the Sorting Gap Marina and installation of outdoor surveillance cameras in the downtown area.