Holidays

Tree Chipping Starts Tomorrow

The City of Thunder Bay is starting it’s tree chipping tomorrow.

So if you’re a au-natural Christmas tree kind of person, but also a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am kind of person when it comes to the holidays, you can start unloading Christmas tomorrow.

Chipped trees are eventually taken to the compost section of the landfill.

North Side Dropoff’s:

• Brent Park (Balsam & Margaret St)

• County Park tennis courts (County Blvd)

• Grandview Arena (Madeline St - but NOT in the arena parking lot)

• John Jumbo Recreation Centre (Toivo St)

• Strathcona Golf Course (Hodder Ave)

South Side Dropoff’s":

• Delany Arena (Legion Track Drive)

• Kinsmen Northwood Centre (James St)

• Westfort Playfield (Needing Ave)

• West Thunder Community Centre (Edward St)

Chipping runs from December 26 to January 12.

And the city is asking people to not be lazy, and please ensure all ornaments, including tinsel, be removed prior to drop off.

Daily Poll

To Turkey or Not to Turkey…

Thunder Bay is pretty organized! 54% of you said you were done all your Christmas shopping before the 24th. Nicely done!

Get your stretchy pants out, it’s almost Christmas dinner time. So I’m curious, are you a turkey household or no?

Municipal

What’s Open & Closed During the Holidays

Here’s a run-down of what’s open and available over the next two weeks:

• City buses will run on a holiday schedule Dec 25, 26, 31

• Lift+ services will run 8am - 10:30pm

• Waste collection schedule changes (click the button below for details)

• The landfill (or more colloquially known as ‘the dump) will be closed Dec 25, 26, and Jan 1

• The following rinks will be open and supervised on Dec 26 and Jan 1 from 1pm-9pm: Carrick Park, North End Community Centre, West End Park, West Thunder Community Centre, Northwood Play Field

• Thunder Bay Museum is closed Dec 25, 26, and Jan 1

• All library branches will be closed Dec 25, 26, 29, and Jan 1

• All LCBO locations will be closed Dec 25; Cumberland St and Dawson Rd stores will also be closed on Dec 26

• All Beer Stores will be closed Dec 25, 26 (except Fort William Rd), and Jan 1

Outdoors

Outdoor Rinks Are Open for Business

The city officially opened their outdoor rinks last Friday.

Currently 16 of the 31 rinks are open and available for skating, with a push to get as many more open as possible for the Christmas break.

The city has 44 ice surfaces spread across 31 sites.

13 of those are boarded. Eight sites are supervised with heated change areas, three are ponds and two are specialty sites (Vickers Park Skating Trail and Prince Arthur’s Landing).

If you’re looking at testing the strength of your skeletal structure on a slippery surface this holiday season, click the button below for a map of the ice surfaces so you can find the one closest to you (and maybe the hospital).

Charity

The Kindness Cupboard

Across the street from Claude E. Garton public school is a brightly painted Kindness Cupboard.

Inside the cupboard are non-perishable food items donated by passerby’s. People in need are encouraged to stop by and take food as they need it.

It was started by Kaitlin Hagarty during the pandemic as a way for people to access food without having to go to a grocery store.

Now that food prices have been going up (15% this year than 2023), the brightly coloured food box is back in action helping families that are struggling to afford the basics.

If you would like to donate to the Kindness Cupboard, click the link below to go to their Facebook Page which lists in the high-in-demand items the cupboard could use.

Common Sense

Stop Drinking & Driving Thunder Bay

As we all head out to various dinners and parties tonight, and over the next week and a half, let’s all remember to use our frontal lobes and NOT drink/drug and drive.

Thus far the Thunder Bay Police Festive RIDE program is seeing alarming statistics.

The other night they yanked 4 drivers off the road for driving impaired.

And impairment isn’t just alcohol. It’s drugs too. And they’re getting better at figuring out those under the influences of drugs.

So far about 50% of those being charged are under the influence of drugs.

Let’s all be smart. Please.

First Nations News

Hydro One to Acquire Transmission Line

Hydro One has agreed to spend $257 million to buy a 48% stake in the transmission line that runs from Wawa to Thunder Bay.

Hydro One will become partners with NextEra Energy Canada LP and Bamkushwada Limited Partnership, who own 48% and 3.5% respectively.

Bamkushwada is jointly owned by Fort William First Nation, Michipicoten First Nation, Biigtigong Nishnaabeg (Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation,) Pays Plat First Nation, Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg (Pic Mobert First Nation) and the Red Rock Indian Band.

The tie line was completed in 2022 and spans 450km.

Get Your Christmas On 🎄

Get Ready for the Fatman Coming Down the Chimney!

Santa Photos - Intercity Shopping Centre - Nov 16-Dec 24
Monday - Friday in November 3pm-7pm
Monday - Friday in December 11am - 7pm
Saturday - 10am - 6pm
Sunday - 11am - 5pm
Dec. 23 - 10am - 8pm
Dec. 24 - 10am - 2pm (he’s gotta get back to the North Pole!)

Things to do This Week

Events In and Around the City

Boxing Day Bash
Live music
Black Pirate Pub
December 26 @ 9pm
$10

Jazz & Old Fashioned Fridays
Live music
Delta Hotels
December 27 @ 6pm
$ FREE

Frankie T Band
Live music
Polish Combatants Association - Branch 1
December 27 @ 8pm
$10

The Derivatives
Live music
Royal Canadian Legion - Branch 5
December 27 @ 8pm
$10

TA Presents A Festivus Miracle
Live music
Norteños Cantina
December 27 @ 9pm
$15

Ho Ho Holiday Hootenanny fr The Rodney Brown Band
Live music
Royal Canadian Legion - Branch 5
December 28 @ pm
$20-$25

24th Annual Wax’s + Mixtape
Live music
The Foundry
December 28 @ 10pm
$5

Home of the Day

505 Dalhousie Dr.

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

4+1 bedrooms
3+1 bathrooms
1,684 sq ft

$475,000

Northwood side-split with finished basement, fenced yard and deck.