Grain Cars Derail

The CN tracks on Maureen Street on the city's north side are operational again after a minor train derailment.   A spokesperson says that two grain cars slipped off the tracks at around 10:30 Tuesday morning.  No one was injured and crews managed to put the cars back on track.   They remained upright the entire time.

City Unveils Bike Repair Station

A new community bicycle repair station is now available on at the Mary J-L Black Library.   City spokesperson Adam Krupper  says it allows people to fix up their bike and have the tools available to do so.   Krupper hopes more will can be constructed at other city locations.  The repair station cost 1 thousand dollars build.

Rickford Responds?

The federal Minister responsible for the Ring of Fire says the Harper government remains committed to the massive mining project. Premier Kathleen Wynne and Northern Development and Mines Minister Michael Gravelle are both challenging the feds to match the province's 1 billion dollar promise for infrastructure needs. But Greg Rickford refused to say if the government would come up with any extra funding saying  they've always been at the table. Rickford says he has a good working relationship with Gravelle and looks forward to further talks to move the Ring of Fire forward.

Pilot ProjectHailed A Success

The executive director of the city's homeless shelter can hardly contain her enthusiasm over the success of their cold weather pilot project.   That's where the shelter teamed up with the Salvation Army to drive around on cold nights and get homeless people off the street.  Patty Hajdu of Shelter House hopes the program can be revived with the community coming forward to pay the 225 thousand dollar cost to run the project. Hajdu says businesses, the hospital and police were all very supportive of the program.

Hike For Hospice Sunday

Hospice Northwest is holding its annual fundraiser at Boulevard Lake on Sunday.  About 250 people are expected to take part in Hike For Hospice.  Organizer Kathleen Buso says many hikers have had friends or family stay at the facility and will be there to support it.  When they cross the Black Bay Bridge, they will throw a flower into the river to commemorate their loved ones.  The event begins at 9:30 in the morning and runs until 1 pm.

Local Man Finds Lost Ring In Maine

Paul Marshall 

A city man will be getting his ring back after it ended up in York, Maine. Paul Marshall says he lost the ring while at work, but learned that it was found by contractors in Maine after they purchased a box of screws from Marshall's workplace, GRK Fasteners. Marshall says he thought the ring was gone forever. Marshall adds that the ring is in the mail on its way back to Thunder Bay.

Eco-Friendly Transit Hub Open

EcoSuperior and Thunder Bay Transit have officially opened their eco-friendly and cyclist-friendly transit hub. The new transit shelter has a covered area with benches and lighting for city transit passengers, and another shelter for cyclists who want to lock up their bikes, or pump air into their tires. The eco-friendly hub is the first of its kind in the city.

Conference Costs 30K

The City needs to spend 30-thousand dollars to host an upcoming conference.  Thunder Bay is holding the upcoming Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities meeting in June.  Council decided to apply to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund for 15-thousand dollars to offset their expenses.

Condo Project Still Viable

Developmental Services Manager Mark Smith feels the Thunder Bay Country Club's condo project is still viable. Smith made the remarks at last night's Council meeting and says they haven't heard anything to suggest the 109 condo units won't go through.  The discussion stemmed from a report looking at the City's residential lot inventory and housing development report.

Council Round Up

Here's a look at the various decisions made at Monday night's City Council meeting.   The City is approving 900-thousand dollars to repair the Whalen Building's parapet.  The money will be used to rebuild the old parapet and replace it with a new one that reflects the historical significance of the building.  Meanwhile, The City is spending 1.2 million dollars to upgrade the Churchill Pool's mechanical system. City lawmakers are also giving permission to the local police force to upgrade their current 911 provider.  Over 178-thousand dollars will be used to upgrade the tech that dispatchers use to take calls from the public.