ISSUE #118

Good morning,

Another week done and dusted! I hope you all have a great weekend.

In today’s issue, we cover:

• Cruise season a success

• Daily Poll - Great Lakes cruise?

• 1,000 balls for charity  

• Chippewa upgrade coming

• Tiny homes done by Sept.

• Prescribed burns planned

• Bill 5 galvanizes First Nation communities

• Things to do this week 🗓️

• House of the day - One owner custom built home! 🏡

- Marcus Luft

Tourism

Cruise Ship Season Poised For A Busy 2025 In Thunder Bay

Thunder Bay’s 2025 cruise season is shaping up to be one of its busiest, with the city’s development corporation projecting 15 ship calls between June 1 and Sept. 8 from Viking, Pearl Seas and Victory Cruise Lines.

The year began with a rare “double-ship” day on June 1, when Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris were scheduled to overlap, underscoring the port’s growing profile. The city’s cruise schedule also lists additional stops through early September, including repeat calls by Viking and Pearl Mist, reflecting steady demand for shore excursions to attractions like Fort William Historical Park and Kakabeka Falls.

Local tourism officials estimate roughly 5,100 passengers and crew could visit across the season, bringing spending to downtown businesses, tour operators and transportation providers.

Daily Poll

Today’s question is:

Wednesday’s Results:

You can download the full results (including comments) here in an Excel file (email addresses have been removed for anonymity).

Charity

“1,000 Ball Challenge” To Benefit Special Olympics Thunder Bay

A new fundraiser dubbed the 1,000 Ball Challenge is set for Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, at the Northern Lights Golf Complex.

Organized in support of Special Olympics Thunder Bay, the event invites individuals and teams to register, raise pledges that stay local, and then help collectively hit 1,000 golf balls during the challenge window.

Participation can be solo or in groups of two to ten people. Organizers describe the concept as a simple, high-energy way to back Special Olympics programs while drawing broad community involvement.

Anyone interested can sign up online, donate to a participating team, or share the event to boost visibility for athletes with intellectual disabilities in the region.

Local

Contract Awarded For Chippewa Carousel Building

Thunder Bay and the Friends of Chippewa Park have awarded a $2.09-million contract to M Builds (NWO) Construction LP to construct a climate-controlled building for the restored C.W. Parker Carousel.

Parks manager Cory Halvorsen says enclosing the ride will extend the operating season into the shoulder months and winter, open more programming opportunities, and safeguard the wooden horses for decades.

The project is the final phase of a multi-year restoration driven by volunteers, tradespeople and artists. Plans call for the new facility to be connected to the Chippewa Park Pavilion, with shovels in the ground in late September and completion targeted for May 2026, ahead of the summer season.

The upgrade aligns with the city’s efforts to enhance family attractions and preserve heritage assets, while ensuring accessibility and year-round use.

Project leaders add that the enclosure will better protect the carousel from weather swings common on Lake Superior, reducing maintenance and improving visitor comfort.

Construction

Union’s All-Women Build Eyes September Finish For Two Tiny Homes

A nine-week, barrier-free construction program run by LiUNA welcomed 12 women to its Balmoral Street training centre in July, pairing in-class learning with hands-on work erecting two tiny homes.

Training manager Bryan Nieweglowski says the aim is both skills development and community contribution, noting the cohort’s strong attendance and adaptability.

Participant Brittany Jewell described quick problem-solving on site—like reconfiguring a doorway after oversized windows arrived—as part of the learning curve that builds confidence. The course covers costs such as child care, transportation and lodging, reducing barriers to entry.

With framing well underway, the goal is to have the buildings up and exteriors finished by early September, weather permitting, before a second cohort begins. The union hopes to keep the program going and grow women’s participation in the trades, answering local labour shortages while adding modest, practical housing stock.

The project highlights how targeted training plus wraparound supports can accelerate entry into construction careers.

Forests

Prescribed Burns Planned Across Northwestern Ontario

Ontario’s Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services division plans a series of prescribed burns across the Northwest Region this fall and into spring 2026 to lower wildfire risks and support forest health.

Sites include Nelson Lake (Thunder Bay District), where a 122-hectare silviculture burn will clear blowdown and prep for planting red and jack pine; Fort William First Nation, continuing an eighth-year hazard-reduction effort using hand ignition on small plots; and Mishkeegogamang First Nation, with a hazard-reduction burn possible this fall and a confirmed prescription for spring 2026.

Community-led work completed this spring at Wabaseemoong will continue, and an ecological burn at Hooker Lake (St. Raphael Provincial Park) will reintroduce fire to Ontario’s northernmost red pine stand to reduce competing balsam fir.

Officials stress these are carefully planned, controlled operations designed to protect communities, enhance habitat, and build long-term forest resiliency.

Indigenous News

NAN Leader Says Recent Laws Have Galvanized First Nations

At the Keewaywin Conference in Moose Cree First Nation, Nishnawbe Aski Nation Deputy Grand Chief Bobby Narcisse said discussion around the federal Bill C-5 and Ontario’s Bill 5 dominated proceedings and, despite widespread concern over treaty rights, has fostered “a lot of unity.”

Narcisse emphasized chiefs are not opposed to development, but oppose decisions made unilaterally on their territories and called for nation-to-nation engagement “from the earliest stages.” He also noted plans for a fall meeting to advance unresolved issues from Keewaywin, while NAN’s leadership continues work on health transformation, child welfare agreements and Jordan’s Principle.

The article also records chiefs’ complaints they weren’t informed of an Aug. 8 provincial Bill 5 session in Thunder Bay—a point Ontario’s economic development minister Vic Fedeli has disputed. Overall, leaders framed the moment as a consolidating one for a stronger collective political voice across NAN communities.

Things to do This Week

Events In and Around the City

August 18

Storytime on the (School) Bus & Expo
Preschool storytime + explore a real school bus (two sessions)
Waverley Library – 285 Red River Road
10:15–10:45 am & 10:45–11:15 am
$ FREE

Baby and Me Storytime
Songs & rhymes for infants (0–12 months)
County Park Library – 1010 Dawson Rd, Unit 108
11:15–11:45 am
$ FREE

Discovery Club (STEAM Drop-In)
Robots, coding & building challenges (ages 4+; drop-in)
Mary J.L. Black Library – 901 Edward St S
All day (during branch hours)
$ FREE

Sing with Mr. B Music Concert
All-ages sing-along with local music teacher/performer
Mary J.L. Black Library – 901 Edward St S
2:30–3:30 pm
$ FREE

Waverley Park Concert Series
Free outdoor concert in the park (Monday series)
Waverley Park – Red River Rd & Waverley St
6:30–9:00 pm
$ FREE

Dart Tournament (Cricket) @ Red Lion Smokehouse
Casual darts—first-come, first-served
Red Lion Smokehouse – 16 Cumberland St S
7:00 pm
$ FREE

Open Mic @ The Foundry
Musicians/poets welcome—weekly open mic
The Foundry – 242 Red River Road
7:30 pm
$ FREE

Octopoulpe & Bo.Senberg w/ Impostrophe (All Ages)
International touring acts—experimental/rock
Black Pirates Pub – 215 Red River Rd (Suite 101)
8:00–11:30 pm
$20

Community Living Duck Hunt
City-wide scavenger hunt—find & snap the ducks!
Various locations (city-wide)
All day
$ FREE

August 19

Jazzy Tuesdays With Mood Indigo
Smooth live jazz paired with dinner and drinks
6:00 pm–9:00 pm, Anchor & Ore – 2240 Sleeping Giant Pkwy
$ FREE

Tuesday Group Run
Community 5 km run/walk—friendly pacing, meet at Rita Street parking lot
6:30 pm–7:30 pm, Boulevard Lake – Lyon Boulevard W.
$ FREE

Tai Chi in the Park
Free evening tai chi class by the water
7:00 pm–8:00 pm, Marina Park – Water Street
$ FREE

Family Storytime
Early literacy with songs, rhymes & stories (preschoolers welcome)
10:00 am–11:00 am, Mary J.L. Black Library – 285 Red River Road
$ FREE

Discovery Club (STEAM Drop-In)
Hands-on science, robotics & building play for children (ages 4+); drop-in
All day, Mary J.L. Black Library – 901 Edward Street South
$ FREE

August 20

PIEROGI DAYS!!!
Homemade Polish pierogi, cabbage rolls, soups & more—carry-out also available
9:00 am–4:30 pm, Polish Combatants’ Association – 209 N. Cumberland Street
$ FREE

Live on the Waterfront – Classic Rock Night
Free outdoor concert with classic rock performances
6:00 pm–9:00 pm, Marina Park Festival Area, Water Street
$ FREE

Movie Night: Drowning in Dreams
Documentary about the Gunilda shipwreck, followed by a Q&A
7:00 pm–9:30 pm, Thunder Bay Museum – 425 Donald Street E.
Admission by donation ($8 adults, $3 children, free with membership)

Ira Johnson Band @ Howl at the Moon
Live all-ages performance by the local Ira Johnson Band
8:00 pm, Howl at the Moon – 8 Cumberland St. South
$ FREE

Danny Johnson’s Piano Bar @ Shooters Tavern
Weekly piano bar night—no cover
8:00 pm, Shooters Tavern – 377 Memorial Avenue
$ FREE

August 21

RibFest 2025
Family-focused rib festival with food vendors, kids’ zone, live music, and a 50/50 draw—Thursday is a low-sensory/take-out only evening
Marina Park – Water Street
4:00 pm–9:00 pm
FREE entry (some activities and food are ticketed)

Harbour Fest
’90s-themed street festival downtown—music, entertainment, vendors, and community nostalgia
Waterfront District
5:00 pm–11:00 pm
FREE

Summer in the Parking Lot – URBAN HIP
Live, all-ages hip-hop/urban music outdoors in the Superior Inn parking lot
Superior Inn Hotel – 555 Arthur Street West
6:00 pm
$ 7–$20 (ticket required)

Thursday Night Group Run
Community 5 km run/walk around Boulevard Lake—free and open to all paces
Meet at Rita Street parking lot (Lyon Blvd W.)
6:00 pm–7:00 pm
FREE

Movie Night: Drowning in Dreams
Screening of the documentary about the shipwreck “Gunilda,” followed by a Q&A
Thunder Bay Museum – 425 Donald Street East
7:00 pm–9:30 pm
By donation (suggested $8 adults / $3 children)

Karaoke Every Thursday @ Bar Polonia
Open-mic karaoke at the Polish Combatants’ Association—song selection, fun, and donations accepted
Bar Polonia – 209 N. Cumberland Street
8:00 pm–11:00 pm
Donations

August 22

Play Day @ Waverley Library
Free, sensory play with toys and interactive books for kids
10:00 am–4:00 pm, Waverley Library – 285 Red River Road
$ FREE

Discovery Club (STEAM Drop-In)
Self-guided STEAM exploration with robots, coding, and building challenges for ages 4+
All day, Mary J.L. Black Library – 901 Edward Street South
$ FREE

RibFest 2025
Family rib festival with food trucks, music, kids’ activities, and a 50/50 draw
11:00 am–9:00 pm, Marina Park – Water Street
$ FREE entry (food and activities ticketed)

Swing and Blues at Monty’s Joint
Live swing and blues music in a relaxed bar setting (19+)
6:00 pm, Monty’s Joint – 513 Victoria Avenue East
$ FREE

August 23

Home of the Day

1335 Riverdale Rd.

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

3+2 bedrooms
3 bathrooms
1,862 sqft

$649,000

3+ acres; WETT certified fire place. Finished basement.