Handi-van idea shelved by Chamber

By Ken Johnston
Editor

Efforts to get a Handi-van or a shuttle bus of some sort were shelved last week by the Chamber of Commerce and area municipal leaders.
The costs were very high to purchase such a vehicle and to operate it as well.
Chamber member Melanie Murray was very disappointed by the number of surveys that were returned. 1,500 were sent out as well as the ones printed in the paper. Of those about 70 people responded.
The indicated usage on the ones that were returned would not be enough to sustain operating a local or area handi-van service.
In an effort to find a solution to the lack of bus service in the area, committee members present agreed to investigate using the Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau's volunteer driver network.
Whether drivers from here can be used to drive local people under the umbrella of the FFVB is unknown. Or perhaps a west-end volunteer bureau can be created.
Murray said she would do the homework and ask if someone from FFVB would be willing to speak to the group here and help them help those in need of rides, especially to medical appointments. She is hopeful they can have a meeting near the end of April.