Gary Rinne

1 week ago | tbnewswatch.com | Gary Rinne

THUNDER BAY — A pair of local entrepreneurs has found a home for a climbing gym they're calling Rock Room. Business partners Mike Hyer and Cody Cook are developing a "bouldering gym" in the historic Caledonia Building at 319 Victoria Avenue East. The former location of a branch of the Imperial Bank of Canada is listed on the City of Thunder Bay's heritage registry. Most recently, Your Body Fitness and Nutrition has operated in the building.

1 week ago | tbnewswatch.com | Gary Rinne

THUNDER BAY — The president of Lakehead University says she's excited about the potential benefits of a major new collaboration involving LU's campus in Orillia and that city's Soldiers' Memorial Hospital. Multiple steps are still required, and it will be years before the facility is built, but Lakehead's southern Ontario campus has been chosen as the preferred site of a new hospital to serve a region with over 400,000 people.

1 week ago | snnewswatch.com | Gary Rinne

THUNDER BAY — An off-duty paramedic who came across a catastrophic highway accident and stepped up to help the victims has received the Ontario Medal for Paramedic Bravery. Chantal Olson of Superior North EMS was recognized this week during a ceremony in Toronto where she and six other paramedics from across the province were honoured for risking their lives to save others. "What she did was completely selfless," said Shane Muir, chief of Superior North EMS.

1 week ago | tbnewswatch.com | Gary Rinne

THUNDER BAY — City and area residents will get a chance this summer to board a tall ship. St. Lawrence II will stop in Thunder Bay on Canada Day as it makes a tour of the Great Lakes. The 72-year-old, 72-foot brigantine is operated by Tall Ship Expeditions Canada, a youth-focused charitable organization that delivers experiential outdoor education programs. It's been to Thunder Bay on one previous occasion, in 2022, but tours were not available to the public in that instance.

1 week ago | tbnewswatch.com | Gary Rinne

THUNDER BAY — Traffic should move more efficiently along some of the city's major traffic corridors starting this summer. The city is on track to launch the first stage of a new synchronized traffic signal system by July or August. Matthew Miedema, director of the engineering division, expects drivers will appreciate the impact this has on their daily travels. "The biggest difference is noting that the signals aren't cycling unnecessarily when there are no vehicles there.