Sudbury Ontario - Coniston Industrial Park Ltd. (CIP) has announced that the rail yard located in downtown Sudbury is making an unprecedented move to Coniston.
 
The rail yard will have a new home in the summer of 2024, signalling a major shift in the city's infrastructure landscape.
 
This new rail yard will be housed in the Coniston Industrial Park, facing the Toe Blake Memorial Arena.
 
With the new rail yard encroaching onto Twin Stacks Golf Course, members will be forced to shorten their swing as the course is expected to lose more than half of its land and holes.
 
The golf course will remain open for the summer of 2024 as construction of the rail yard begins in early June but will likely close permanently in 2025 as the rail yard will continue its expansion.
 
Members of Twin Stacks Golf Course have received the guarantee that their membership prices and green fees will not be affected by these changes.
 
Architects have come out to the Industrial Park to survey the area, and based on their feasibility study, they emphasize that "it's a perfect fit."
 
CIP said it is excited at the opportunity to have the rail yard alongside its already booming operations as it will allow for more growth for the company and its tenants.
 
An architect's rendering has been added to depict how the rail yard will appear once the project is completed.
 
"This is such exciting news for Coniston. Imagine the Coniston Community Gardeners and visitors to the Adelie Splash Pad being able to watch the trains as they travel across our great country. And wouldn’t it be great to explore the re-introduction of passenger rail to Coniston?" says Deb McIntosh, the city's Ward 9 councillor.
 
The surprise announcement from CIP coincides with the changes the downtown core has witnessed over the last few months.
 
With the old Ledo Hotel now just a memory, this move will help reinforce the plans for a new, bigger, and better arena in downtown Sudbury with space for plenty of amenities nearby.
 
This move is part of a five-year initiative that will stimulate a lot of growth in Coniston creating more than 150 jobs at Coniston Industrial Park.
 
CIP and Lopes Limited will be working closely with the City of Greater Sudbury throughout the project to ensure a smooth transition for everyone involved.
 
"I think I speak for everyone at the Park when I say that we are extremely energized by this new project," says Charles Riddles, an employee at Coniston Industrial Park Ltd.
 
"The fact that this rail yard is moving to Coniston is just another example of how we put our community first. This expansion will put our hardworking community on the map as a global leader in innovation and ingenuity."
 
Citizens in Coniston can expect to see an increase in traffic near the arena as the project is set to tee off on the Victoria Day long weekend in May.
 
Questions and inquiries about this planned project can be directed to Sloof Lipra, the company's director of public relations.
 
Sloof can be reached by telephone at 705-694-4713 on Saturdays from 08:00 to noon.
 
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