Thunder Bay transportation museum plans begin to take shape

Superior Morning7:58Transportation Museum in Thunder Bay

Plans for a transportation museum in Thunder Bay are moving forward. We meet the man who wants to preserve and display our transportation heritage for all to see.Thunder Bay could be home to a brand new transit museum, if a local historical group is successful in its push to have the city's numerous transportation relics preserved and displayed.

Charlie Brown, who chairs the city's heritage transportation committee, noted there is a lot more to preserve and display in the city.

"I think a lot of people are realizing in Thunder Bay that we really should start to retain what we have now and perhaps hold onto it for future generations," he said after a planning meeting for the museum Tuesday night.

"Like the caboose, Via trains and the Brill [buses] ... there are other things within the area as well," he said.

The city has a storied history when it comes to transport and this could be a big development for historians and tourism in the city, Brown said.

Getting a transportation museum is key and is something for which Brown is pushing hard.

How it all started

In 2001, Brown helped bring two Brill buses back to Thunder Bay from British Columbia. Both buses were restored in the colours of each city. The project was finished in 2007, and he's being trying to get the units displayed — but has had some difficulties.

Brown said he was told the project was too small, and it was suggested to incorporate everything to do with transportation in the city into a museum to reflect Thunder Bay's role as a transportation hub.

"We've had a lot of interest from a number of groups," Brown continued.

"The aviation museum, friends of the grain elevators and we`ve had car enthusiasts from a number of the different car clubs [express support]," he said.

There has also been several individuals interested in the project, according to Brown who hopes the interest will provide the momentum needed to make the museum a reality.

"We [had] the first municipal streetcar system in Canada and we have a rich history here," Brown said. "That alone would be enough for a wing of the museum."