City Facelift

Onlookers witnessed the demolition of the Front Street train trestle Tuesday with mixed emotions as phase two of the city’s major facelift continues.

“This today is progress for the city, but we are also loosing a part of history,” says lifelong area resident Reg Fournier.

Fournier says he understands the need for the city to move forward, but is also having a hard time imagining the symbol of an industry that built the city vanishing.

“This (trestle) has done its job, it’s created North Bay because railroad was North Bay, without it we wouldn’t be here,” says the 62 year old retiree.

“This land has been dormant for the past six years, the city could use the revenues from the sale of this property, and like I say ‘its time to move on’ progress is here.”

Mayor Victor Fedeli identifies with Fournier’s views and the need for North Bay to move forward.

“Another one of the trestles this week on Front Street, next week over on Cassells and in two weeks after that we will have the entire train bed that’s been here for over a 100 years will be removed.”

“It will make way for progress, in this case progress will be a mini sports field for Mother St. Bride’s. Allow a much safer access for the students, school buses will come in for the back end now and let the students disembark right at the school door. And it will make a better parking lot and we’re going to sell some of the surplus property to neighbours. This is a win win,” states the mayor.

Fedeli knows that the change not only offers a safer environment for the students and will put money into city coffers, but it will also change the cityscape.

“I really think that when the three bridges here on Front and Cassells are done and this train bed is gone in a couple of weeks, you’re going to see from Second Avenue over to Third Avenue for the first time in over a hundred years, my heavens, that is just going to be an amazing sight.”