THUNDER BAY — Thunder Bay Transit’s aging Waterfront Terminal is set for a multi-million dollar revamp expected to roughly double terminal space for passengers, and bring accessibility and aesthetic improvements.
City council approved a roughly $215,000 architectural design contract for improvements to the Water Street facility in September.
Construction is set for 2025 and estimated at up to $2.4 million.
The project is fully funded through the nearly $20 million in federal-provincial transit funding the city received in 2020, matched with another $6.6 million in municipal dollars.
The terminal has seen few significant upgrades since it was built in 1978.
Thunder Bay Transit manager Brad Loroff described it as “a tired facility.”
The revamp will make the terminal more comfortable, accessible, and appealing for riders, he said.
“It's really just about refreshing the look of everything there, making sure we're positioned to do what we need to do for passengers as they're connecting with our different routes.”
A 700- to 900-square foot addition will roughly double passenger space in the terminal.
The renovation is also intended to increase visibility from the building onto the transit platform.
Outside, the design will consider adding heated enclosures for waiting passengers, along with landscaping and public art.
Accessibility improvements to the platform and entrances are also on order, while an accessible washroom will be considered.
The building will be retrofitted in line with the city’s net zero strategy, with a move from natural gas to electric heat and envelope upgrades.
The work represents the first and largest of several planned transit hub redesigns, with at least three more expected in the coming years.
Other transfer points that could be considered for future updates include Confederation College, Lakehead University, and the regional hospital.
“What happens at the Waterfront will create a model for what can be utilized elsewhere across the city,” Loroff said.
Construction is expected to be complete by October 2025.
