The Thunder Bay word sign proposed for the waterfront is shelved.
Just days after voting in favour of the next step for the 50th anniversary project, a close 7-6 vote Tuesday puts an end to the work of the Anniversary Committee.
McKellar Councillor Brian Hamilton started it by calling for a revote to approve, in principal, setting aside $100,000 for the sign. Mayor Bill Mauro wasn’t happy with revisiting the topic, saying they already gave direction to the 50th Anniversary Committee on how to proceed. That vote ended in a tie, meaning defeat, as Councillor Peng You had left the meeting. Then, Councillor Andrew Foulds called for yet another vote on Hamilton’s motion, citing the return to the meeting of Councillor You. That resulted in the final 7-6 vote. The meeting prompted Councillor Rebecca Johnson to note how unprofessional the group looked, others pointed out how many constituents don’t want the sign, and, the frustration of the meeting notable on the faces of a few councillors.
This vote came a night after the Manager of Tourism Paul Pepe expressed the opinions of those in the business community that now wasn’t the right time for the word sign.
Related: Business Support Wavering For Thunder Bay Sign
Council originally supported the idea of spending $100,000 on the on the waterfront, modelled off of a similar sign outside Toronto’s city hall. However, Council changed its mind in October and referred the decision to the 2021 budget process.
