What is the Town of Fort Frances contributing to the project?

The Town of Fort Frances has committed to the reconstruction of Lillie Avenue to bring reliable sewer and water services to the new splash park, adding a proposed 23 parking spaces plus 4 accessible spaces along Lillie Avenue plus an additional 32 regular and 3 accessible parking spaces in a new overflow parking lot at the south end of Lillie Avenue. In addition, the Town is committed to installing smart traffic signals at Lillie Avenue and Kings Highway including pedestrian signals to ensure the safe entry and exit of vehicular and pedestrian traffic to the park. In the 2023 Capital Budget approved by Council, a financial contribution of $75,000 was approved for the Legion Park Rehabilitation project.

Safety

The Town of Fort Frances already has a plan in place to install sidewalk, designated parking and complete paving on Lillie Avenue. Safety will be enhanced by installing traffic lights and a cross walk at the corner of Lillie Avenue and Highway 11. Fencing will be utilized to maximize safety and enhance accessibility.

Location

The committee reviewed and considered various locations for the splash park; this included the future woodyard development. The committee is of the position the splash park is a project area residents wish to see developed now and therefore chose a site which could accommodate immediate development. Construction would begin in the spring of 2023 with a park opening later in the summer of 2023.

Environmental issues

The water from the park will be recaptured and utilized for other currently existing uses such as water for the cemeteries and summer plantings located throughout the town. In addition, The Town of Fort Frances has a current policy in place which ensures any trees removed from a site are replaced one for one. This means any trees removed for site preparation will be replaced with new plantings.

Accessibility

The park will be fully accessible to comply with all current requirements and feature a hard surface pathway.

Splash Park

The splash park is in the final stages of design and is approximately 3000 sq ft in size. It will be fishing themed and currently includes 18 spray features and a "Big Bucket". The Committee will be finalizing the design shortly. Adjacent to the park will be a pump house building that will also accommodate new washrooms. The Splash Park Committee is also looking to include seating, shade shelters and culturally inclusive elements as part of the overall features of the park.

Legion Park Rehabilitation

The Town of Fort Frances is currently working a plan to revitalize the Legion Park, which is the oldest playground in Fort Frances. This initiative will include updated playground equipment. As planning and funding for these projects move forward there will be an opportunity for input and feedback on additional features people would like to see in the park.