THUNDER BAY - City Hall as a permanent south core transit hub is expected to pass ratification Monday, however the vote may be incredibly close.
Making city hall the permanent south-side transit hub came under fierce debate at the committee of the whole meeting on Monday May 9. Council was split by the end of the evening and eventually voted in favour 6-5 to approve the only option administration offered.
The final hurdle for the plan is ratification, which is expected to take place at next Monday’s council meeting. With two councilors absent from the committee of the whole meeting, the one-vote difference puts successful ratification in question.
Northwood Ward Coun. Shelby Ch’ng was one of the absent councilor, but during an interview with CKPR Radio confirmed that she will be supporting the decision.
“I want to protect the transit workers,” Ch’ng said. “The people who are actually employed by our city and by our municipality. I want to build good working relationships with them, which I think is going to be a cost savings in time and energy savings in the future.
“They provide a great service for our community and what can we do to manage that and build good working relationship between the transit union workers and administration and I think this is one of those building steps that would really promote that relationship.”
Council voted to move the transit hub to city hall temporarily in 2010 when the former site on Miles Street was forced out for the Thunder Bay Courthouse's construction.
The temporary solution eventually became one of the city’s only serious options for a permanent hub.
Ch’ng’s support comes with some reservation. Ch’ng said although she’s leaning toward keeping the transit hub at City Hall, she does hope to see a change in the plan’s language. Specifically the wording of permanent.
Ch’ng explained that she hopes someday in the future the transit hub can be relocated with funding.
“My sense is that there’s going to be money for transit now and we can do something like have an alternate spot to put the transit hub,” she said.
Ch’ng explained she doesn’t want to be pigeonholed at City Hall. She wants to ensure there’s room for flexibility should the city get transit funding.
The other absent councilor was Neebing Coun. Linda Rydholm, who was also unavailable to discuss the issue when contacted by CKPR Radio.
If no councillor changes their position by Monday, the plan is expected to pass ratification by at least two votes.
