THUNDER BAY – The City of Thunder Bay now has a plan to lift the James Whalen tugboat out of the Kaministiquia River, though the work won’t be accomplished until October.
The historic tug sunk from its moorings at the Kaministiquia River Heritage Park on May 1, becoming largely submerged underwater.
The city announced Friday it had awarded a contract to raise the board and transport it to temporary storage to LH North for $793,000.
The local company was one of two to bid on the work, and submitted the lowest bid, said city manager Norm Gale.
The city issued an RFP for the job in July, warning at the time it might not be possible to complete the work until the fall.
Staff said the main priority was to get the tug out before the winter freeze, which could cause further damage.
LH North plans to use cranes to lift the tug out of the river, placing it into a wooden crib at a temporary dry land storage site.
The city said it will also explore the possibility of moving it instead to a permanent dry land location on city property.
The Lakehead Transportation Museum has expressed interest in acquiring the vessel to house at its site near Pool 6.
“We’re thinking long-term about the best use and location for this asset,” said city manager Norm Gale. “There’s various options on the table.”
Gale said he could not speak in detail to those options.
The city is continuing an internal investigation into the cause of the sinking, Gale said.
The incident wasn’t expected to pose any environmental risk, as the boat was previously emptied of engine components.
The James Whalen also partially sank in 2021, but crews were able to pump enough water out to keep it from fully submerging.
Note: This is a developing story and will be updated.
