Bluebox recycling depot in Fort Frances, September 8, 2023. Image: Randy Thoms/Acadia Broadcasting

Fort Frances town council is expected to award a contract to rebuild its transfer station building at the recycling depot.

Town administration is recommending council accept a bid from area contractor Richard Wieringa at a cost of over $210 thousand.

Its report says that falls within the amount covered by insurance.

Only one other bid was offered, with the suggested cost coming in at $500,000.

The former building was destroyed by an arson fire in late May.

Curbside pickup of recycling materials was halted and remains so because the town does not have a place to store the material before it is shipped to

Winnipeg for processing.

“The transfer station building is a pivotal and necessary asset in order to resume curbside recycle collection,” states the report.

Both firms seeking the depot building projects also provided provisional bids on the foundation for new scales at the landfill site.

Adminitration recommends that contract also go to Wieringa at a cost of over $92 thousand.

That comes in $70 thousand more than what was budgeted.

Administration still wants council to accept the bid, fearing a delay in the project could lead to higher construction costs.

“In order to facilitate other planned and approved capital expenditures at the landfill, being the new scale shack installation and installation of the already procured scale, moving forward with the landfill scale foundation works is recommended to proceed in order to have it completed before winter. Due to backlogged maintenance activities, planned work and the time crunch before winter, this is not work that can be allocated to the public works crew,” states the report.

It is recommended the budget shortfall be covered from reserves.