Mayor Ewald looks back and forward at Rainy River

By Ken Johnston
Editor

Rainy River Mayor Deb Ewald feels as though she has learned a great deal in her first four years as the community’s leader.
When she first was elected to the job she was ready to rock and roll wanting to get the town’s sewer and water problem fixed so the town could begin to grow. At the end of her first term, that goal is a light at the end of the tunnel, but not quite completed.
With the community’s sewer system maxed out for the past 15 plus years, council had been working hard to rectify the program. In 2009 they undertook building a new sewer lagoon system north of town, to compliment the existing one and increase capacity. Work was also done to replace the town’s lift station and forced main.
Last January Ewald was hopeful that the work on the improvements would be all done and the Ministry of Environment order prohibiting any new development in the community would be lifted.
However, everything takes time and there is still some work to be completed at the lagoon site. “I am hopeful that it will be done this year and that we can get the order lifted,” said Ewald this week.
The biggest lesson she has learned from the sewer improvements is, “Patience is the biggest thing with politics. Nothing happens overnight.”
Ewald said that as with any small town the biggest hurdle to getting things done is funding. So when Rainy River decided to fix the sewer problems it had to ask the government for help, which slows things down again. It also means every hoop must be jumped through and that things are done properly.
In addition to that project not quite being done, this past year the town was abuzz with construction. “We had the sewer and water lines along Atwood Ave. replaced and Hydro One did a major overhaul replacing most of the poles in town.”
The stretch on Atwood Ave. that they replaced was the part of the town’s system that was in the most dilapidated state. That project was funded two thirds by provincial and federal government monies. While Ewald said the support from government is great the community had to come up with $660,000 for its share. “We managed but it will be tight over the course of two years.”
Ewald was particularly proud of the town getting the work done to Riverview Manor. It saw major renovations with an elevator being installed and new assisted living apartments renovated. And to cap it off just at the end of the year the funding to run the assisted living program came through for two years!
Ewald said that the council and her worked hard to get assisted living in the community so that seniors that are not quite ready to live in long term care (for which there is usually a long waiting list in Rainy River) but unable to remain in their homes have is an option.
“We hope to keep residents in their community and this helps. Nothing against Rainycrest (Home for the Aged), but it is too far away. This helps prevent people from going there by freeing up spots for those who need long term care but can’t get in because some beds are filled with people who could live in assisted living,” said the Mayor.
Last year being an election year, Ewald said the outgoing council worked hard right up the end and that she is confident that the new council, who has had two meetings to date, will be as equally eager to better the town.
One challenge facing them will be the town’s shrinking tax base and declining property assessment values. Last year taxpayers faced nearly a 6% tax increase.
Ewald said that the problem is that if the tax base keeps going down there is more and more pressure to raise taxes for the remaining taxpayers to maintain services.
So what will happen this year? “Everything is on the table, including the possibility of cutting services,” said Ewald Monday. “People want things but do not want to pay more for them.”
Ewald said that one of the biggest issues facing the community this year will be the locum doctor housing. With Dr. Albert Beller’s contract running out at the end of March this year, there is pressure to improve locum housing so that the community does not burn out its remaining doctor, Dave Singleton, because of no locums coming here.
However, the communities involved, Rainy River, Lake of the Woods, Dawson and Morley could not do a lot until new councils were sworn in. Now Ewald expects efforts to ramp up quickly in order to get decisions made before March 31st.
She noted that the committee had been looking at building a duplex on the river in Rainy River for locums and the Northern Ontario School of Medicines students that come here to practise. “However, if NOSM is not interested in paying rent for half the building then we may look at a single family unit.”
In any event the importance of attracting locums here is key to keeping doctors in the community. “If we have no doctors this town will not survive,” predicts Ewald.
Last year the town managed to secure a part-time dental hygienist for the community and came close to attracting a part time dentist. The mayor said they are always on the lookout for dentists but with declining population numbers it gets harder and harder to attract one.
This year the Mayor would also like to see some improvements to Heritage Square move forward. “We need a roof over the caboose and the entire square itself could be improved to attract even more tourists.” Ewald works at the Northwestern Health Unit, just across the street from the station and square and said, “You would not believe how many people stop and take pictures there. We need to make the experience even better!”
Last year the town garage received a major energy overhaul, installing a geo-thermal heat and cooling system. “It is too early to say how much savings we will realize, but there are no gas bills there now!” Over the past several years it was a regular question at council meetings of why the gas bills were so high. “Our electricity has gone up to run the geo-thermal, but I think that after we have run it for a year we will be able to see how much it will save the town.”
As for the economic future of the town, Ewald said that they need a full time economic development officer, but can not afford to hire one on their own. “Councillor Gord Armstrong has been working with FedNor for a regional type EDO who would devote 60% to RR and 40% to regional economic development.” Previously the town received funding for one year terms, but Ewald said that was not long enough. “They get their feet into it and then their funding runs out and we can’t afford to keep them on full-time.”
The infrastructure issues that concern many residents, namely maintenance and streets needing resurfacing, Ewald hopes that now that the big projects over the past few years are done, that the town staff will have time to “catch up and clean up,” noting that a lot of that took a back seat.
As for the streets, the council will try and access funds from the province to repair some of the worst kept streets in town, but like anything, the funding has to come through from above. “We can not as a small town afford to do these things on our own.”
She feels that all the projects in the past four years have put the community heads and shoulders above where it was when she took the Mayor’s gavel. She credits the hard work of council and town staff and feels the new council will continue to move the town forward.
Last year at this time she said, “Hopefully the slide downward is done.” Ewald said Monday, “I think we have managed to slow it down and are optimistic that it will reverse in the future and move upwards!”
Ewald also said that the work of council is complimented by citizens sitting and working on various committees in town and that with the recent elections people need to step forward and sign up for them. People can serve another term on the same committees or join new ones. To join call the town hall at 852-3244.