$10,000 donation will help see first phase of RR Sk8 Park up this summer

By Ken Johnston
Editor

Rainy River Town Council began their April meeting a day late last Tuesday due to the Easter holidays.
However, the first item of real business was a presentation by Mr. Brent McQuaker of Hydro One. McQuaker is Level 2 Line Supervisor out of Fort Frances and he brought a cheque from Hydro One for $10,000. The money is for the skateboard park project, as reported in the Record in December of 2008.
Accepting the cheque was project coordinator Ashley Stamler and RR Rec. Director Meghan Shanks. Shanks said that the public will see the first phase of the park get installed this summer.

Other business
•Council passed a motion to purchase the town’s insurance from Northwest Insurance at a cost of $45,414 plus taxes for one year.
•Council passed a motion to hire a Project Administrator/Overseer for the upcoming lagoon project.
•A motion that was tabled last month to give time for council to weigh hiring a local man for a consulting job versus a Fort Frances woman was brought back to the table. After further consideration council unanimously hired TGD Consulting of Fort Frances. No discussion or reasons for the choice were given at the meeting.
•Council declared July 10-12, Sept. 5-7 and Sept. 24-26 Community Festivals for Railroad Daze, Labour Day Ball Tourney and the RRWT.
•Council ordered 125 calendar books at a cost of $3.99 plus taxes and shipping.
•Council passed bylaw 1509-09 to authorize the Mayor and Chief Administrative Officer to sign the Building Canada Fund Contribution agreement for a $2 million water and sewer project upgrade project. Councillor Brent Anderson asked where the community’s 1/3 of the cost will be coming from and Town Clerk Veldron Vogan said very little borrowing will have to take place. Some will come from the gas tax rebate as well as other sources.
•Councillor Gord Armstrong noted that the hanging flower baskets for 2009 have been ordered.
•Council passed a short bylaw to formalize the closing of the strip of Little St. from the former rail crossing to Hwy. 11.