News

$8 Million for Infrastructure

Thunder Bay is receiving additional funding for its Central Avenue Development Lands Initiative.

The funding from the province’s Housing-Enabling Core Servicing Stream is worth $8.64 million and is aimed at improving road and trail networks along Central Avenue.

The area in question is located between Golf Links Road and Balmoral Street.

The city has announced a $10.4 million investment in the 100-acre area to help support the construction of 1,200 homes in the area.

Daily Poll

Do we need more homes?

So this poll made me laugh. It asked if you support the addition of the cardiovascular unit. We almost had total unity. But alas, ONE person voted no. 🤣 So we had over 99.5% voting yes.

So close!

Today’s question:

Municipal

Neebing to Decontaminate

The Neebing Fire and Emergency Services are going to be getting a $1.38 million decontamination facility.

Why do they need that you might be asking?

Well, after firefighters finish fighting fires, their gear becomes contaminated with carcinogens in the form of soot and other toxins from the fire.

This has led over time to a rise in presumptive cancer diagnoses within fire services.

Not good.

To help protect those that protect us, a 4,000-square-foot building will begin being built in August.

The decontamination area is pressurized and will feature specialized cleaning equipment. Currently, Neebing Fire must send their gear out, which can have an 18-hour turnaround time.

With the new building, it will be 2 hours.

The new facility will also feature specially built cleaning facilities for fire vehicles, along with space for training purposes.

Police

Board Re-Elects Members

The Thunder Bay Police Service Board (TBPS) has re-elected Karen Machado as chair and Denise Baxter as vice chair.

The board had its regular monthly meeting this past Tuesday and held the vote then.

Baxter joined the board as a community representative in February 2023, serving a two-year term.

Four months later she was named vice chair.

The duo are humbled and happy to be re-elected and have pinpointed staying within budget and defining what efficient and effective policing means, as two of their main challenges for their next term.

Congrats!

Transit

Farebox Project Underway

Thunder Bay Transit is modernizing a bit.

The city has begun installing the digital fareboxes riders can start using in the spring.

Once fully implemented, riders will be able to purchase a reloadable card to make a fare payment when getting on the bus.

If old-school is still your thing, you will be able to continue using bus tickets, monthly passes, or cash to pay for your transit needs.

We should maybe clarify that the city is sort of modernizing.

Despite being tappable, it is only with the reloadable card.

Debit or credit card tap won’t be available for a while, if perhaps ever, which allegedly is a common practice across the public transit industry.

Culture

Library Use Growing

While Thunder Bay Public Library use remains behind pre-COVID levels, 2024 was a year of growth in usage.

Library branches saw an 8% growth in in-person visits in 2024.

Even more significant, participation in children’s programming was up 38% compared to 2023.

Last year there were approximately 269,000 in-person visits to the library. For comparison, there were 432,000 in-person visits made in 2019.

So there’s still a way to go, but the Library is optimistic, especially around the growth of programming and the engagement with that.

Libraries are so important. Let’s keep supporting them!

Indigenous News

Book Launch

The Anishinabek Nation and Thunder Bay District Health Unit have jointly launched a new book.

Migizi and Giniw’s ImportantJourney: Niish Migizi Bimisewin, written by Lynda Banning and Lyne Soramaki, takes place on the traditional territory of Fort William First Nation and Anishinabek Nation.

It follows the journey of a bald and golden eagle who embarks on a four-day journey to find out why little animals in the Land of Nanabijou are getting sick.

The two eagles represent the Anishinabek Nation and the TBDHU working together.

The book is intended for Grades 4-7 readers but is meant for all to enjoy.

If you’re interested in reading, click the button below.

Things to do This Week

Events In and Around the City

TBSO Masterworks - Big Tunes
Live musical performance
Thunder Bay Community Auditorium
Jan 31 @ 7:30pm
$25 - $50

Between The Lines
Live theatre
Magnus Theatre
Jan 31 - Feb 1 @ 7:30pm & 3pm (check with theatre)
$23

Live@Loch featuring Sara Kae
Live musical performance
Loch Lomond Ski Area
Jan 31 @ 8pm-10pm
$FREE

50s & 60s Night Sock Hop with Pat Silvaggio
Dancing
Royal Canadian Legion - Branch 5
Jan 31 @ 8pm-11pm
$10

Forever Dead!
Punk rock live performance
Norteños Cantina
Jan 31 @ 10pm
$5-$10

Karaoke
Live music
Feb 1

• The Westfort Prosvita

• The Hodder

• Howl at the Moon (sober karaoke)

• Norteños Taqueria

• The Social

• The Bar

Hinder
Live musical performance
Thunder Bay Community Auditorium
Feb 2 @ 8pm
$49

Case Management Foundations: KORU Winter Workshop
Workshop on providing effective case management
Thunder Bay Public Library - Marj JL Black Branch
Feb 3 @ 10m-4pm
$170 

Home of the Day

345 Boundary Dr.

(Realtors if you want your home featured - send us an email: [email protected])

3 bedrooms
3 bathrooms
1,463 sq ft

$549,900

Extensive woodwork throughout, and I love the old-school European basement bar.