Thunder Bay City Council votes to scrap historic tugboat

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 08, 2025 6:03 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 minutes ago

Any hopes to spot a century-old tugboat successful Thunder Bay preserved have sunk aft Thunder Bay City assembly voted to scrap the James Whalen Monday. 

The Transportation Museum of Thunder Bay has been advocating to sphere the Whalen. David Muir, vice president and manager of tract and operations astatine the museum, made a deputation to assembly pitching the thought of keeping conscionable the apical portion of the boat-- but to nary avail. 

"I'm upset by it due to the fact that we've invested truthful overmuch clip trying to marque this work," said Muir. 

After the historical tugboat sank successful 2022, the City awarded a astir $800,000 declaration to assistance it retired of the Kamanistiqua river. Council antecedently voted past Fall to sphere parts of the tug, and recycle the rest. It changed people aft receiving higher-than-expected bids connected the tender for preservation and recycling. 

Muir said preserving the apical platform would adhd an other $120,000 to the cost, but that the depository would yet wage backmost the quality to the City.

"We tin marque it a onshore based attraction that the nationalist tourists, of which we had 6000 past year, sojourn and the assorted schools successful Thunder Bay and portion tin really get the consciousness of being connected the Whalen," said Muir.

Current River Ward Councillor Andrew Foulds said galore are unhappy the historical vessel won't beryllium preserved.

"I deliberation it's precise casual to constituent fingers and blame. I conscionable deliberation it's bittersweet and unfortunate," said Foulds.

Foulds said helium enactment guardant a solution to prevention and show up to $20,000 of provisional items recognizing the communicative of the Whalen, but it was defeated.

"There's the tremendous outgo to recycling it and there's not truly that galore options," said Foulds.

Dealing with the destiny of the tugboat has been a vexation for council, helium said. 

"I admit the concern and I know there is simply a batch of documenting and pictures being taken and you know, we're going to bash the champion that we tin successful protecting immoderate of that legacy," Foulds said. 

The outgo to recycle the vessel is astir $580,000.