City to "ramp up" safety measures on former CN rail lands

The city will begin to “ramp up” safety measures on former CN land it owns between Wyld and Ferguson streets, solicitor Mike Burke told the Community Services Committee Monday night.

North Bay purchased the land and the rail trestles for $1 from CN.

Renaissance Development Corporation owns stretches of the land between Cassells and Ferguson streets, and Fisher and Wyld.

Large stones
A public meeting was held Monday night to discuss a request by Renaissance to rezone the property to allow for commercial and residential development.

Dan Gagnon, who lives on Second Avenue E, told council about problems being caused by children walking along the track bed behind his place.

“There were large stones being thrown by young kids between 10 and 12 years old at my shop, and I just had a brand new shop built last year, and the siding’s already damaged on it,” Gagnon said.

“Then the next day it started again, and they started throwing stones at my neighbour’s shop also, so if they build something on both sides it will stop the traffic from going through there.”

Rocks being thrown by the children also broke windows of cars parked along Third, Gagnon added.

Looking down
He also pointed out safety concerns, alluding again to the stone-throwing incident.

“With those 10 and 12-years-old who were throwing those stones at my place, there was one little fellow, couldn’t have been more than four or five years old, so I walked down the street and followed him and this kid was hanging onto the rail of the trestle and looking down,” Gagnon said.

“So my question is who is responsible if somebody falls off that trestle. Now they go on Renaissance property, go on the trestle when they come from Fisher Street, but when they hit our way on Ferguson Street they’re on city property doing this so is there any way of stopping this or maybe police presence when school’s over?”

If someone were to fall of a trestle, Gagnon said, “I think it will be quite serious, and who will be responsible?”

Assuming the risk
Burke said the city is now taking action.

“We have been looking at ramping up some signage and we’ll start with some ‘No Trespassing’ signs on the city-owned property, city-owned side of the trestle, for all of the trestles,” Burke said.

Adults walking along the trestles are voluntarily “assuming the risk,” Burke said.

“I think for kids it’s a bigger issue, and we need to start with signage,” Burke told the committee.

“We’ll observe it for a couple of days, and if that doesn’t work we’ll need to ramp it up to snow fencing, if that doesn’t work, we’ll come back to you for some sort of permanent fencing.”

Any agreement
The city is responsible for dismantling the trestles, Burke said, adding revenue sources will be sought out to fund the removal of the structures.

Mayor Vic Fedeli wanted to know if there was any agreement with Renaissance to share the cost of taking down trestles which border on city land.

Renaissance agent Rick Miller said his client would be willing to city down with the city to discuss the issue.