Another attempt to fix up Russell Hall at Sunny Cove Camp will be made by the town of Fort Frances.
Town council is agreeing with two of the options administration has put forward intended to reopen the more than 50-year-old camp.
One option calls for changing the scope of the projects to help lower the costs.
A previous attempt to secure a contractor was rejected in February when a lone bid came in higher than expected.
Chief Building Official John Burrows says initial log replacement is specialized work and may have contributed to the town not receiving local bids.
“We’re hoping with the change of scope to a more readily accessible structural component, such as conventional framing or potentially some block pony wall system to reinforce the existing structure, (it may) be more accessible to our local contractors who might alleviate some of the prices in that tendering process,” says Burrows.
The direction also allows the town to maintain a $500,000 grant from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, issued in March 2024 for the repairs to the hall.
Council is also supporting the removal or repair of other derelict buildings.
Burrows says it does not mean a flattening of all facilities.
“We would be looking at clearing the smaller buildings that may be derelict, but also looking at maintaining some of the existing structures for contingent use with Russell Hall, but opens up the potential with clearing the site of some buildings allows us to look at other potential options with it.”
Burrows added they are keeping the Kiwanis Club in the loop.
The Club sold the camp to the town for a dollar after facing challenges with running it.
Programming options are also being discussed, with a report expected to come before town council later in the year.
“We’ve brought all direction options forward to the Kiwanis Club just so that they’re aware of what we’re proposing to council. And we’ve entertained discussions with them, as well as they are entertaining discussions as a board. Everything is still kind of on the table,” says Burrows.
The camp has not operated since 2019.
