Red carpet rolled out for bike train

40 cyclists from southern Ontario enjoy a welcoming reception for the Bike Train at The Station Friday before setting out to explore North Bay by bike.

City officials including Mayor Victor Fedeli and Minister of Tourism Monique Smith rolled out the red carpet Friday to welcome passengers to the city as the Bike Train rolled into North Bay.

Thanks to a $248,200 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) the stop in the Blue Sky Region is a new initiative by Transportation Options and allowed the group to pilot the expansion of their already successful bike tourism efforts to Northern Ontario.



The concept was originally developed by Toronto cyclist Justin Lafontaine and launched in partnership with VIA Rail between Toronto and Niagara in 2007. Lafontaine says the Bike Train is a fun, comfortable, economic and environmentally friendly way to enjoy a cycling getaway. He says the ultimate goal is to have all trains outfitted with a baggage car with bike racks so at anytime folks can just take off for a bike weekend at their leisure.



To mark the occasion, MPP Smith and OTF representative, Carol Ann DiBartolomeo presented the group with a plaque. DiBartolomeo says the initiative is a true winner or simply an idea whose time has come.



Part of the funds from OTF will also be used, locally, in North Bay to develop the local infrastructure and coordination necessary to create an attractive cycle tourism destination between Toronto and North Bay. This will attract visitors and increase passenger rail and local trail system usage. ONR officials agree that there is a potential to increase passenger travel and were only too happy to get the Northlander outfitted and involved in the pilot project.