Weather

So this is winter?

Well I hope you kept your umbrellas handy this past weekend!

Thunder Bay experienced some very unseasonably warm temperatures throughout the weekend.

Normal temperatures for this time of the year is -8C during the daytime with overnight lows of -19C. On the weekend we reached +3C during the day, and only hit 0C overnight.

As the week progresses the temperatures are going to start falling again, but now without the protective layer of snow needed to assist important infrastructure from freezing.

We might get the annual blown water line in front of Pinewood Ford sooner rather than later this year! Anyone want to do an over/under on it?

Also feeling the pinch will be our outdoor facilities such as alpine and nordic skiing. So while perhaps conditions in some spots may not be great, let’s continue to support these folks as we wait for better snow.

The city skating rinks are hanging on for dear life, but as of the start of this weekend they were still all open.

If skating is your jam, click the button below for what is actually a pretty cool interactive map that highlights the status of all the city’s public outdoor rinks.

Daily Poll

NYE - Out or In?

70% of you didn’t go to work on Friday. Lucky you!

Today’s question: are you heading out on the town for New Years, or staying in?

Animals

Veterinarian Needed

The Thunder Bay District Humane Society is renewing the call for an additional veterinarian to be on-staff.

Currently the TBDHS relies on locum veterinarians (people who come from out of town for stints at a time), to run their spay and neuter clinic.

It’s a costly approach.

The problem is a chronic shortage of permanent veterinarians across North America.

The challenge is trying to find someone that would enjoy a high volume of surgeries, and then convince them to move up here.

From 2019 to 2024 the clinic has survived off the generous donations of PetSmart charities and local donors.

But the future is looking more expensive if a permanent solution can’t be found.

Know anyone about to graduate veterinary school? Maybe put a bug in their ear…

City News

The Meats are on the Move

Bay Meats is on the move!

The Bay St. staple has changed ownership, and also purchased Cav-Tal Foods Ltd at the same time.

Because of the expansion, Bay Meats will be closing their Bay St. location and moving the combined operation to a new storefront at 701 Norah Cres.

The Bay St. store will be open until Jan. 17, 2025.

Between now and then, all items in the store are 25% off.

The meat may be moving, but it’s nice to hear it’s ultimately not going anywhere and will continue to serve Thunder Bay for years to come.

Police

New Officers Sworn In

The Thunder Bay Police Service has sworn in four new constables.

The new constables, Raymond Arney, Caitlin Radcliff, Akshay Santhosh, and Justing Frui, were sworn in and given their badges by Thunder Bay Police Service deputy chief Ryan Hughes.

The new recruits recently finished their training at the Ontario Provincial Police College.

Next up for them will be being assigned a coach officer for approximately three months. After that, they will start patrolling on their own.

The Thunder Bay Police Service now has 255 sworn officers.

Welcome to the force, and thank you for wanting to help our community!

Sports

Thunder Bay Goalie Signs Big

Thunder Bay’er, Mackenzie Blackwood, got himself a real nice Christmas present on Friday!

The NHL goalie signed a 5-year, $26.25 million dollar deal with the Colorado Avalanche.

The Avalanche acquired Blackwood via trade from the San Jose sharks on Dec. 9.

They wanted to give Blackwood time to acclimatize to his new team and city before they reached out to his representatives to start talking numbers.

Sure sounds like it was worth the wait!

Blackwood also did himself some favours by shining in his first four games since being traded.

He’s gone 3-1 with a 2.03 goals-against-average and a .931 save percentage.

Maybe one day he’ll bring the Stanley Cup to Thunder Bay for a visit…? (damn sooner than my Leafs will bring it to Toronto I’m sure…)

First Nations News

Ottawa to Fund Bottled Water

The federal government has resumed funding for bottled water in Marten Falls First Nation.

The community has been under a boil water advisory for 19 years.

19 years….!

The chief and council declared a state of emergency in December after a sewage spill occurring which entered the water system.

Marten Falls is about 400km northeast of Thunder Bay. It has fewer than 400 residents and has been in a state of emergency since 2021.

Residents can’t use the water for cooking or cleaning, with community members complaining of rashes on their bodies.

New Year’s Eve Events

If you don’t have plans yet, check these out:

New Year’s Eve Family Frolic
Fort William Historical Park
4pm-8pm
$10-$12

The Super Chill Dawson Trail & Station 22 New Years Eve Party
Dawson Trail Craft Brewery
5pm
$ FREE

NYE ft Danny Johnson
On the Links
6:30pm
$50

New Years Eve Ft Just Waylon
Royal Canadian Legion - Branch 5
7pm
$35

NYE In tinseltown: A Murder Mystery Chef’s Table
Red Lion Smokehouse
7pm
$100

New Years Eve Party ft Back Forty
Royal Canadian Legion - Branch 149
9pm
$20—$25

New Years Eve party ft Headrush
Wayland Bar & Grill
9pm
$20

EMO NYE
Black Pirates Pub
9pm
$ FREE

Pocket Full of Gold NYE Part
Pocketchange
9pm
$TBA

NYE with Radar and the Rockets
Royal Canadian Legion - Branch 5
9pm
$20

Masquerave 2025
The Foundry
10pm
$10

White Inferno New Years Eve
Norteños Cantina
10pm
$5

New Years Eve ft DJ Big D
Loch Lomond Ski Area
10pm
$10

NYE Black and White Edition
NV Music Hall
10pm
$10-$150

New Years Eve at The Caribou
Caribou Restaurant and Wine Bar
Call for times
$FREE (menu priced meals once in)

New Years Eve at Bight Restaurant & Bar
Bight Restaurant & Bar
Call for times
$80/person - prix fixe menu

New Years Eve at Giorg
Giorg Cucina e Barra
Call for times
$95/person - 4 courses

Things to do This Week

Events In and Around the City

Open Mic at The Foundry
Live music
The Foundry
Dec. 30 @ 8pm
$ FREE

New Years Day Ski By Donation
Downhill skiing
Loch Lomond
Jan. 1 @ 10am-5pm
$ (Pay what you can, all proceeds to NorWesters Alpine Club)

Open Mic Night
Live music
Lakehead Beer Co.
Jan 2 @7pm-10pm
$ FREE

Karaoke (at various locations)
Live sing-along music
Royal Canadian Legion - Branch 5, Howl at the Moon, Norteños Cantina, Polish Combatants’ Association - Branch 1, The Waterhouse, The Alley
Jan. 2 (contact locations for times)
$ FREE

Karaoke (at various locations)
Live sing-along music
The Social, The Bar, The Waterhouse
Jan. 3 (contact locations for times)
$ FREE

Karaoke (at various locations)
Live sing-along music
Howl at the Moon, The Hodder, Norteños Taqueria, The Social, The Bar
Jan. 4 (contact locations for times)
$ FREE

Home of the Day

217 Mountdale Ave.

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

3 bedrooms
2+1 bathrooms
1,082 sq ft

$459,900

Updated side-split with total square footage of over 1,650 with the basement included.