15 September 2005
CPR Approached to Relocate Downtown Tracks
Sudbury - Back in the 1960s, there were detailed plans in place to relocate the Canadian
Pacific Railway (CPR) yards from downtown and build a huge retail and residential project called Elgin Square.
Last week, members of the Downtown Village Development Corporation (DVDC), along with city officials, met with three representatives
of CPR to revisit the idea.
Susan Thompson, a director with DVDC and councillor Lynne Reynolds, along with Mayor David Courtemanche and Doug Nadorozny, the manager
of economic development for the city, were among the group that met with CPR officials.
Thompson and Reynolds want citizens to know the idea to possibly relocate the downtown rail yards is only in the discussion stage. They
don't want to raise any hopes prematurely, but they say they think something good could happen down the road. "This is very, very
preliminary, but I believe in a long-term vision for this city," said Reynolds.
"I do believe the downtown rail yards will be relocated one day and could provide one of the most exciting prospects for
development in this city's history... it's just a matter of time."
It would take "huge community vision" and serious interest by numerous private and public sector partners to come up with a
plan to relocate the railyards, said Reynolds. "But if you would have told the people of Toronto 40 years ago, the CN Tower... and
Air Canada Centre would be built on rail yards in their downtown, no one would have believed you."
The rail yards are "an awesome location" that would have no trouble attracting serious investors once a detailed plan for
relocation and expansion are unveiled in the future, Reynolds said. "It's an idea we shouldn't just dismiss."
Joe Fabbro, a former mayor, was an outspoken proponent of relocating the downtown rail yards and moving ahead with a huge residential
and retail project, but was voted down by the council of the day.
Those plans from the 1960s will be looked at again as part of the process during these preliminary discussions.
Thompson said the DVDC's mandate is to promote the downtown through economic development. She agrees there could potentially be
immeasurable benefits to this city's economy if the rail yards were developed.
When she placed a phone call to CPR head office, she was pleasantly surprised at their positive attitude to at least meet and discuss
ideas with city officials. "When I suggested a conference call, they went one better and organized to come up and run a tour,
which happened last week," she said. "The tour was packed with information."
She didn't know the Sudbury rail yards are a vital link to the entire CPR network of rail lines in Canada.
What was decided following the tour was to revisit city plans from the 1960s to develop the area and look at a project in Lethbridge,
Alta., where downtown rail yards were relocated and a huge development is now prospering, she said.
Paul Thurston, Canadian Pacific's manager of communications and public affairs, told Northern Life Thursday the Sudbury rail yards are
a vital link to all CPR's traffic in central Canada.
The company has "no desire or need to change anything" at its Sudbury operations, however, as a good corporate citizen is
always willing to meet with city officials and community groups interested in land owned by CPR, he said. "We have a working
relationship with every community where we operate. If railway relocation is on any city's public policy agenda, we're more than
willing to meet with city leaders."
It would take an exhaustive feasibility study to convince CPR to move the rail yards, but stranger things have happened and such
relocations have been successfully completed in other cities, he said.
"It's no easy challenge... but we're willing to listen."
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