THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay's city council planted the seeds Monday of several ideas that may not come to fruition before the next municipal election on Oct. 24, 2022, from a hydroelectricity project to in-house tree production.
Councillors also approved speed reductions near two city educational facilities and voted to examine potential reductions on Arthur Street West.
Boulevard Lake power project explored
The city will examine the possibility of once again generating electricity at the Boulevard Lake dam, after a motion from Coun. Mark Bentz was passed unanimously Monday.
Bentz pitched the project as a potential clean energy contributor to the city’s net zero emissions plans, hoping power could be either sold back to the grid or used to power on-site uses like park lighting.
Basic questions on the potential feasibility of such a project will be answered in a report from city administration due back by March of 2022.
Arthur Street speeds debated
The city will examine the possibility of lowering speed limits on Arthur Street on a section west of the Thunder Bay Expressway, where speeds are currently 80 kilometres an hour.
Coun. Cody Fraser called for a report on the subject, saying council must find alternative ways to address residents' safety concerns about heavy truck traffic and high speeds after failing to pass a Designated Truck Route.
Boulevard Lake playground rebuild
Boulevard Lake will boast a new, larger playground with expanded accessibility features, thanks to a large funding agreement with a corporate charity.
Councillors unanimously approved signing the $750,000 agreement with Jumpstart, associated with Canadian Tire, on Monday, paving the way for construction in 2022.
City mulls in-house tree production
The city will consider the possibility of growing more of its own trees to supply boulevards and parks, and meet a climate commitment to plant 100,000 additional trees by 2050.
Council approved an amended motion from Coun. Peng You calling for a report on the subject, with the at-large councillor hoping to find cost savings. City staff said the proposal could be feasible, but that its production greenhouses would not have capacity to host seedlings as envisioned by You.
A report is due back by Dec. 20, in time for costs to potentially be considered in the 2022 budget.
Speed reductions on Lillie, River streets
The city established 40 kilometres an hour speed limit zones in two new locations: on Lillie Street from Walnut Street to Victoria Avenue, and on River Street from Court to Cumberland streets. Both will be reduced from the current 50 kilometres an hour standard.
The zone on Lillie Street addresses the opening of the Matawa Education Centre, which offers a school and, in the new year, a 100-bed residence for students from Matawa First Nations.
The River Street zone was requested by Ecole Catholique Franco-Superieur, due in part to a new parental drop-off zone on the street.
Telephone voting to end in 2022
Telephone voting is on the chopping block as city staff prepare for the 2022 municipal election.
Around five per cent of voters, or 2,101 people, voted over the phone in the last election in 2018. That compared to nearly 58 per cent who voted online, with the option offered for the first time, and 37 per cent who voted in person.
Costs for the next municipal election are expected to rise to $650,000, above a 2018 budget of $566,000, due only in part to COVID-19 precautions.
