How this Thunder Bay, Ont. bus terminal is setting a new standard of accessibility
One of Thunder Bay's transit terminals is set to receive a long-overdue upgrade, one that transit officials and accessibility advocates say is as much about inclusion as it is about infrastructure.
The Water Street bus terminal has long served as a key hub for city transit in the city's north core. Now, it's poised for major renovations.
The project includes refurbishing the building envelope, installing electronic signage, upgrading lighting and enhancing both passenger waiting areas and driver facilities. The indoor space will be about 50 per cent larger, and a new covered canopy will offer protection for riders beyond the building itself, according to the city.
The terminal upgrade is part of a broader series of transit infrastructure projects planned across Thunder Bay. It's funded in part through the federal government's Investing in Canada infrastructure program.
The final contract has yet to be awarded, so the cost and timeline of the project have not been announced. The city expects construction to begin in July and wrap up by late October before winter sets in. Transit operations will temporarily move nearby during construction.
While further details will be released in the coming weeks, Thunder Bay Transit Services Manager Brad Loroff said the goal is clear: to modernize the aging building with a focus on accessibility.
"The terminal building is well past its service life," Loroff said, explaining that the building has seen limited improvements over the last decades.
"It is tired and it is beyond its life expectancy. So it's certainly in need of building improvements, renovations and an overall refresh for people."
Accessibility has been a central consideration in the redesign, not an afterthought, Loroff said, noting that it is part of the standard process for capital projects.
"One key component of that is to consult and seek feedback on ways to incorporate the work so that things meet all accessibility requirements," he said
More room to move independently
Samantha Zrobin, chair of Thunder Bay's Accessibility Advisory Committee, said she's been impressed by the city's commitment to implementing suggestions from the committee's built environment working group.
"There'll be more room for mobility devices, guide dogs and other devices that people may need to be able to access the buildings, more room to move around," she said.
There will also be automatic door controls, "so people with any type of accessibility needs can access indoors and outdoors freely without having to have anyone else help them," Zrobin added.
Active Commute Challenge kicking off June 1st
Zrobin, who uses a mobility device, said the upgrades will have a significant impact on her daily commute, as well as that of many others in the city.
"It'll just be a lot easier, like 100 per cent easier to access the buses and access everything they need to be able to travel safely and independently," she said.
Zrobin hopes the Water Street terminal will serve as a blueprint for future infrastructure improvements across the city.
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