Morgan Brown (left) and Michael Stephens spent last weekend circulating a petition at the Deep River arts and crafts fair.

7 November 2011

Group Hopes to Save the Pembroke-to-Mattawa CPR Line

Deep River Ontario - A citizen's group hopes to rally public support around keeping the Canadian Pacific Railway line open between Pembroke and Mattawa before the tracks are torn up for good.
 
Over the weekend, the group "Save the Pembroke to Mattawa Railway" ramped up efforts to fill out a petition that they hope will spare the line from its inevitable demise next summer.
 
"Everybody I've talked to said this is a tragedy and a bad idea," said group organizer Michael Stephens, adding there has been nothing but negative reaction to the loss of the line.
 
What they propose is keeping the 91-mile stretch between the Chalk River Subdivision, which borders Pembroke, and the Town of Mattawa. The fate of the former CPR was sealed in 2010 when CP issued its intent to discontinue and sell the Ottawa Valley Railway. After CP diverted traffic off the line, shortline operator RailAmerica terminated its lease with CP.
 
In total, 170 miles of abandoned rail bed will be removed in the next two years. However, Mr. Stephens believes there is scope to saving the line.
 
"If someone doesn't do something, next summer we are going to lose the rest," Mr. Stephens said as he collected signatures at the annual Deep River Arts and Crafts Fair where the petition was part of an information booth on the group.
 
The group hopes to replicate the success of Transport Pontiac Renfrew (TPR), the not-for-profit organization with a goal and mission to acquire the Beachburg Subdivision of the former Canadian National line to ensure rail service has a permanent place in the upper Ottawa Valley and Western Quebec.
 
Mr. Stephens believes they can make a similar case for the Chalk River Subdivision. Not only is it vital to economic development, the line will enable CFB Petawawa to deploy equipment on rail bed. It is also a key link in Canada's rail infrastructure holding the shortest east-west route, he added.
 
This argument might bolster Save the Pembroke to Mattawa Railway's case. The Coalition for Algoma Passenger Trains (CAPT), a group dedicated to preserving remote passenger train service in the District of Algoma, as well as the adjacent regions around Hearst and Sudbury, is seeking to service a passenger route that bypasses Toronto. In order to do that, CAPT needs a direct east-to-west route which is currently provided by the Pembroke to Mattawa line, according to Dave Watts, vice-president communications/marketing for JDA Consulting, the firm that advices Transport Pontiac Renfrew.
 
"Because of the development of the process with the Beachburg line, TPR was kind of a natural hand-in-glove to review the potential of preserving this line," said Mr. Watts.
 
The CAPT group, comprised of municipalities, First Nations, tourist resort operators, camp-owners, recreationalists, environmentalists, and other groups, has been talking to CP about the Pembroke to Mattawa line, added Mr. Watts.
 
"There seems to be some active interest in acquiring this northern stretch," he said.
 
The key is rerouting passenger service around Toronto, and thus saving 18 hours in travel time, contended Mr. Watts. That could be the saving grace for the Pembroke to Mattawa corridor, he added.
 
"If it does stay and if does connect with the fledgling TPR in Pembroke, then it is going to maintain an east-west corridor to bypass Toronto," explained Mr. Watts.
 
The petition, which is urging action at all levels, will be submitted to Renfrew County council, Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MP Cheryl Gallant, and MPP John Yakabuski. Mr. Stephens said public support is critical noting he never thought he'd see the day when the Ottawa Valley lost an important historical institution dating back to the founding of the CPR itself in the late 1800s.
 
"I thought the powers-that-be would realize this is a bad idea to lose this railway. But then I was driving down to Ottawa on Highway 17 and began seeing rails disappearing," recounted Mr. Stephens. "I thought I can't believe they are going through with this."
 
Sean Chase.