There will be a lot of road work in Fort Frances in 2024.

Town council is giving their support in principle to spending more than $19 million in 2024 on capital works projects that include several road improvements.

Two major projects include upgrading a section of Third Street West between Central and York Avenues and Scott Street between Reid and Mosher Avenues.

There are also plans to surface treat several other roads, including sections of Fifth and Sixth Streets West.

It involves taking the existing road down to a gravel surface, placing new material on top and sealing it with an oil-like substance.

Interim Operations Manager Craig Miller says it should provide new life to the road of about three to seven years.

“We’re hoping to establish a regular road resurfacing program starting this year. One thing we learned through this process is that MTO (Ministry of Transportation) does an annual group tender for road resurfacing every year. So, if we can tack onto that and get reduced prices when Miller (Miller Paving) is in the area doing these resurfacing jobs, we can save on mobilization and demobilization because MTO tends to eat that cost,” says Miller.

The budget also includes $4.1 million in projects planned for 2023 that were not completed or started for various reasons.

This includes the installation of a standby power system or runway lighting at the airport, the rehabilitation of Legion Park and construction of the splash pad, upgrades to Sunny Cove Camp and the design work for the birthing of the Hallet and Owandum boats at the waterfront.

Many projects have a federal and/or provincial grant connected, but nearly half of the total cost will be borne out of reserve funds.

Mayor Andrew Hallikas says it is important to take care of those reserves.

“Our reserves took a significant hit last year, and there’s a further hit this year, although we do put some money back in. But I think what people need to realize is that these reserves are seed money. So when we do these large projects, we get a lot of funding from the province and the Feds, but we have to put up a certain percentage ourselves,” says Hallikas.

“So, I think it’s careful to make sure that we don’t allow our reserves to sink too low so that we always have some seed funding so that we can get the grants that we need,” adds Hallikas.

The withdrawal of money will bring some accounts to very low levels.

Interim Chief Administrative Officer Travis Rob is still comfortable with the spending.

“My direction to the senior management team was to try and get a capital budget coming out of reserves that match what we put into reserves, possibly a little bit lower, if we could,” says Rob.

“We got very close to meeting my goal of being under. What we put in for, our contributions are not quite there, depending on how the funding shakes out, maybe we will over the duration of the year. But I can speak for myself. I’m okay with the budget as presented.”

Rob adds that this year’s capital budget includes all items administration feels are high priority.

Some very costly projects are also still dependent on the town receiving assistance from the senior levels of government.

Over a million dollars in other projects were trimmed before the draft document was presented because reserve funds would have covered most of the costs.

One of two public requests was also rejected.

A request for a left-hand turn lane on Portage Avenue at Scott Street was denied.

Another for an extension to the sidewalk on the north side of King’s Highway did make it to the budget.

The town is also looking at a sidewalk on Keating Avenue, depending on the Rainy River District and Northwest Catholic District School Boards helping to share construction costs.