Council working on the railroad

The city's Community Services Committee has approved plans to rezone areas of city-owned CNR tracks along Durril Street.

The rezoning will allow the area to be used for residential purposes, creating a potential three lots on Jane Street, and six lots on Copeland Street.

The plan will require removing the tracks, as well as environmental containments from the land.

“We won’t be in a position to sell those lands, until they are cleaned up,” Ian Kilgour, Manager of Planning Services said.

“The top three feet will go to the landfill, and we won’t know about the rest, until we get into the ground.”

The CNR tracks are believed to have divided the city into two sections. By digging up the tracks, the land will permit residential and commercial growth previously
derailed by the unused tracks.

Kilgour said the plan is essential "to bring urban fabric,” to North Bay.