Heritage Train Operating 7 Days per Week Starting Today

Heritage Train Operating 7 Days per Week Starting Today

Join us Saturday August 03 as we celebrate our 30th Anniversary and our Two millionth Rider 

Effective June 24, 2024, the nostalgic Heritage Railway and Carousel Company waterfront attraction is operating seven days a week for the 30th season from 10 am till dusk.

 

A thirtieth anniversary celebration is being planned for this year's Civic Holiday weekend that will focus on the efforts of hundreds of volunteers that changed the look and feel enhancing our North Bay Waterfront summer enjoyment for three decades. There is an open invitation for the volunteer Carvers, Artists, Donors and Sponsors who were instrumental in these initiatives, to come out and be a part of the August 03 celebration.

Background:

"The dream of two men, Stan Lawlor and Rod Johnston, to create a "Miniature" Railway and preserve the heritage of rail in North Bay, became a reality July 29th, 1994 with the official opening of the Heritage Railway Company."  Quote from the North Bay Heritage Railway and Carousel Company website: https://heritagetrainandcarousel.weebly.com/

 

Developing on the city's property along the rail lands, this waterfront feature began in the fall of 1993, establishing the makings of a mini-train amusement for a unique family experience, supported by retired members of the CP, CN, ONR railways and City of North Bay, as there were upwards of 31 'Charter' volunteers taking on various tasks.

 

One of the four remaining 'original' Heritage Railway Company volunteers Colin Vezina writes that start-up funds, "necessary to purchase a steam-powered miniature locomotive, a gas-powered F-7 diesel-type locomotive with three passenger cars and miniature railroad track, were organized by Stan Lawlor who raised approximately $125,000 in donations and in addition secured a $25,000 loan from the City Heritage Festival Reserve Funds. [Colin] made arrangements with then North Bay Jail Superintendent Angus Bentley for the service of five inmates who, volunteered on their own volition and were supervised by a Jail Corrections Officer, helped lay the actual 1/4-mile line, some 5480 feet of track, plus sidings for the station and Shop tracks the week of July 25 1994", says Vezina.

 

In 1996, the volunteers erected a Station, a donated CP Rail van (Caboose) which still remains today, then the Rail Car Barn was built in 1998.

 

By 1999, more like-minded visionaries like artist Edna Scott, carousel enthusiast Barry Jacobs, collaborated with Dr. Rod to bring a full-size refurbished 1908 Carousel to North Bay adding to our Waterfront Railway site. Under the leadership of the volunteer construction crew foreman Dan Pigeau, Edna's working with the North Bay Wood Carvers Club had the "stable" set-up in the North Bay Mall, the city staff secured $166,000 in funds from a provincial grant to construct the 60-foot building to house the carousel. Jacobs coordinated and led the sponsor and donor campaign raising the funds from the 'Adopt a Horse' programme in less than 5 months, which moved the project ahead to construct over thirty-three horses and three spares that officially opened July 01, 2002 at the site.

 

At the time of the 2005 Award-winning North Bay Heritage Carousel coffee table book was being completed by photographer Ed Eng, author Patti Fedeli, designer Richard Ference and edited by Edna Scott, Edna had designed the second Winter Wonderland Menagerie Carousel, which was entirely dedicated to fourteen animals of Northern Ontario. The smaller 28-foot Carousel sought out additional sponsors and opened three years later on July 01, 2005, bringing much added enjoyment in its own enclosed setting. There are pylons at each of the Carousels recognizing a listing of the volunteers, sponsors and artists involved in each project.

Come celebrate with us:

"On behalf of the Heritage Railway & Carousel Executive and our 30th Anniversary Committee, we are planning a Family Fun Day on Memorial Drive to celebrate our thirty years of operation 1994-2024 on Saturday, August 03, 2024" says 30th Anniversary Chair Ralph Celentano, one of the 21 HRCC volunteer Shift Captains.

 

"There is an open invitation for the volunteer Carvers, Artists, Donors and Sponsors who were instrumental in the initiatives we currently enjoy at this family friendly attraction to come out and be a part of the celebration. Weekly, we celebrate those visiting riders who sign our Guest Book from cities across the province and around the world. This upcoming August day is to celebrate the founding volunteers and our community partners who engaged in the vision of the mini-train and our two Carousels."

 

We will be hosting a full day of activities for children and their families beginning at 10 am and concluding at 6pm. * 

Celebration of Activities include: 

-        1994 ‘Retro’ Pricing of One Dollar ($1.00) per ride all day for all riders.

-        Face Painting and Rorab Shriners Clown Unit.

-        Introduction of our Two (2) Millionth Rider and

-        visits by various community Mascots throughout the day.

>> 1 pm Official Ceremony at 230 Memorial Drive by local dignitaries will acknowledge the original Railway ‘Charter’ Volunteers, Carousel Carvers, Artists, Donors and Sponsors along with the hundreds of volunteers who maintain the operation of our community waterfront attraction.

 

* In the event of inclement weather, we will celebrate the next day Sunday, August 04, 2024.

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