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Waterfront to be revitalized (10/02)

By Frank Scarcello Officials with the Town of Fort Frances are hopeful the addition of a condominium along the town’s waterfront will act as a drawing card to attract new residents to the area.

By Frank Scarcello

Officials with the Town of Fort Frances are hopeful the addition of a condominium along the town’s waterfront will act as a drawing card to attract new residents to the area.

Situated on prime riverfront property overlooking the expanding La Verandrye Parkway, the River Walk condominium project in Fort Frances is well underway and is expected to be completed by year’s end.

The $4.5-million, four-storey, 32-unit condominium building is slated for completion by Dec.15, and to date is the only condominium development in the Rainy River District, says Bill Naturkach, administrator for the Town of Fort Frances.

“We have a large representation from outside the community coming to Fort Frances to live in the (condominiums), from as far away as Windsor and one U.S. citizen, and buyers from the Rainy River district,” Naturkach says.

At the present time 24 of the 32 condominium units have been sold. All are two-bedroom, 1,000-square-foot suites, selling for $150,000. The building will also provide underground parking for residents.

In the middle of October a model suite in the building will be ready for viewing, allowing realtors to complete the sale of the remaining units. Each unit will come with a balcony that will overlook the La Verandrye Parkway, which is under expansion at the present time.

Over the past decade the town will have spent $10.5 million on revitalizing over four kilometres of waterfront area, including the development of a marina, shoreline restoration and walking and bicycle paths. The current expansion to the parkway will connect the marina to the downtown-hospital core.

The $2.5-million waterfront development project cost is being split with the town and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund.

Naturkach says with the expansion of the waterfront he expects increased community activity will take place. He says the development will enhance the boating needs of tourists and provide a larger venue for functions on the waterfront.

“The community interest is very high in the project, everybody is really excited about it and they can hardly wait for it to be done,” says Naturkach. “We get all kind of compliments from our American neighbours.”