‘HAIL MARY’ FALLS ON DEAF EARS AS COUNCILLORS CONCEDE ONTARIO NORTHLAND SHELTER BEST SUITED ACROSS BROCK STREET FROM GRAVENHURST TRAIN STATION
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
GRAVENHURST — It seems size does matter.
Four inches, in fact.
It’s the difference in extra height a new Northlander train will mean for passengers boarding in Gravenhurst.
“A Hail Mary” attempt this afternoon, according to Mayor Heidi Lorenz, wasn’t enough to convince most councillors of the merit of keeping a new passenger kiosk closer to the town’s vacant Train Station.
This despite the fact that there will be a wheelchair lift for passengers in need.
All this after Lorenz admitted council has known about Ontario Northland’s plan since last February, she said.
Size wasn’t the only matter brought up when Northland CEO Chad Evans appeared online at the meeting from his North Bay office.
He also defended their decision to build a block away — across Brock Street — on how long the train would have too stop.
And the length of the new train, which still doesn’t have a start date.
He said it stretch into the intersection and block traffic.
He said their “analysis” determined that blocking Brock was a detrimental determinant.
To which advocate Lucille Frith and councillor Sandy Cairns noted the street is closed for much longer times when CN freight trains passes through town.
The exchange caused many in the audience to rumble that drivers would gladly wait for a much-anticipated four-car Northlander passenger train — the way they’re forced daily to sit and wait for the freight to pass by.
This as news breaks that Ontario Northland just bought 207 kms of CN’s rail track line from Washago to North Bay for $138 million. That’s 25 per cent of where the Northlander will travel, he told councillors and just under 30 members of the public hoping for a better outcome.
No date has been confirmed yet for the return of the Northlander. And no ticket prices have been divulged by Ontario Northland.
See our story about that here:
ONTARIO NORTHLAND BUYS 200 KMS OF CN TRAIN TRACK BETWEEN WASHAGO AND NORTH BAY FOR $138 MILLION TO RUN NORTHLANDER TRAIN https://muskokatoday.com/2026/03/ontario-northland-buys-200-kms-of-cn-train-track-between-washago-and-north-bay-for-138-million-to-run-northlander-train/
The new location of the 15-seat glass shelter will be next to the single track on a large tract of empty land on Centennial Drive next to the YIG grocery store currently undergoing extensive renovations.
On land CN owns.
Accessibility seems to be a big part of the consideration for Ontario Northland.
Accessible parking was also mentioned in his 10-minute virtual presentation, which was followed by only one question to him by councillor Penny Varney who asked him about space on the train for bikes or an extra baggage car. Evans said there will be space for both items.
He also revealed the shelter will be remotely locked until 30 minutes before the train arrives and for 30 minutes after. It will also have wifi and a satellite locate to track the train’s arrival time.
“Wow! I’m surprised there aren’t more questions from councillors,” she said before thanking Evans for a “very good presentation” and letting him go offline.
Councillors saved several questions for Frith and Carole Annne Simpson who presented for the opposition.
They were there defending the Train Station advocates committee proposing the shelter be at least located outside the existing Train Station on the grassy area next to it — and were representing Bob Barnes and his pro Train Station committee.
Frith said her North Eastern Ontario Rail Network know are aware that Huntsville and Matheson have convinced Ontario Northland to build their kiosks adjacent to former trains stations in those committees. North Bay, Englehart and Cochrane will also be train station stops owned by Ontario Northland.
She wants Gravenhurst to lease its Train Station land to Ontario Northland so they can make their platform improvements there.
Just, she said, as Bracebridge did last June with a 20-year lease with Ontario Northland to build its glass kiosk downtown next to the tracks and Muskoka River.
“So it’s not precedent-setting.”
Cairns asked for time to reconsider plans as she has seen workers doing ground locates — even though she said she “understands it’s a better fit across the street.”
But fellow councillors were less sympathetic.
She said she’d “even give up the tulip garden” to make way for the kiosk at the Train Station.
Councillors sited lighting, security and accessible parking.
But Lorenz added that concerns appeared “last minute.”
She said “can think of nothing more that detracts” from the Northlander plan.
Councillor Peter Johnston said it “checks all the boxes” for him.
And fellow councillor Randy Jorgensen says Ontario Northland doesn’t want to run the Train Station here.
And neither does council it seemed.
Anyway, said Lorenz, the town has a potential tenant willing to rent the Train Station.
The Well Fed sandwich shop in town, as MuskokaTODAY.com reported last month.
“I don’t want anyone to leave with the impression that anything can change.”
The deputations meetings, which started a half hour late due to home streaming technicalities, lasted 55 minutes.
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