THUNDER BAY — If it's impractical or too expensive to move the historic James Whalen tugboat to Marina Park, the Transportation Museum of Thunder Bay wants to be first in line for the next best thing.
Board chair Wally Peterson said: "We've got to look at everything possible to save as much as possible" of the 117-year-old vessel.
After it was revealed Tuesday that City of Thunder Bay administration is recommending only certain components of the boat be preserved and that the rest be recycled, representatives of the museum sat down Wednesday with city officials.
"Where the discussion went to is if the option to recycle the James Whalen is what the city goes with, we will be working and cooperating with the city to try and save as much of the vessel as possible, and that in the future it could be used as a land display, hopefully at our site," Peterson said in an interview.
He also confirmed the Transportation Museum of Thunder Bay plans to respond to the city's pending request for expressions of interest in taking over and relocating the VIA Rail train on display at Kam River Heritage Park.
But numerous issues remain to be settled, in particular whether enough additional space can be found at or near the Pool 6 site where the Alexander Henry museum ship is on display.
"The CEDC [Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Corporation] is doing the 'best use' study on the entire area, and the city's kind of waiting on what they come up with for that, which I think affects everything, because there's other people interested in Pool 6 too," Peterson noted.
He said his group doesn't have the budget to operate attractions at two sites, but displaying the VIA Rail train requires a space that's 250 feet long.
"Towards the train tracks, there's more than enough room, and that would be part of our proposal, that they give us more space along the edge of the old track bed from Pool 6."
Peterson emphasized that he understands it's completely up to the city to make the decisions on the fate of both the Whalen and the train, but he expects the transportation museum will eventually make a deputation to council regarding a number of relevant issues.
