|
 Coalition for Algoma Passenger Trains (CAPT) |
We
started our second day of our "All Aboard" train adventure
by getting together for Breakfast. Hearst Mayor Roger Sigouin,
and Hearst Tourism's Shana Verrier joined us for breakfast and
wished us well on our journey.
This is not going to be a train day since there has been no passenger trains running on the tracks between Cochrane and Hearst for many years. Today we are renting vans to get from Cochrane to Hearst and explore the sights and activities of the area.
Our first stop of the day is Eagles Earth. a first nations interpretive centre east of Cochrane in the Constance Lake First Nation. Eagles Earth is a really impressive facility which is scheduled to open this summer. The information and pictures about the Cree and Ojibway history and culture really interesting and informative, and extremely well done. Tony Martin, Sault Ste Marie's MP who has been traveling with us was very impressed and said "it is a phenomenal facility and a tremendous opportunity to learn about the aboriginal culture, values and history that the Constance Lake First Nations is sharing with us". The main building is very beautiful and is built in the shape of a giant Eagle's feather. Besides the interpretive centre, they have cabins and Tipis to stay in and also offer rafting, and kayaking. Eagle's Earth website is at www.EaglesEarth.com.
We are continuing on to Cochrane to see the Polar Bear Habitat and make a presentation to Cochrane City council.
The rest of our second day went well although we it did not take long for us to miss being on trains. Passenger trains have not been running on the tracks between Hearst and Cochrane for quite a number of years. Unfortunately we were too late getting into Cochrane to visit their Polar Bear Habitat. We had been invited to make a presentation to Cochrane City Council Monday evening and we were very warmly received. The Ontario Northland Railway is a significant asset to Cochrane because it allows people to visit their city and attractions like their polar bear habitat, Cochrane is a staging area for the Polar Bear express, people use the Little Bear railway to visit Cochrane from communities further north, and the people of Cochrane are able to take the Northlander south to North Bay and Toronto to visit, shop, access specialized medical facilities etc. Cochrane values their railways and would like to see them enhanced and expanded. Cochrane's city council passed a resolution encouraging consideration of joining the ONR and ACR railways, which would join them by passenger rail to their neighbours to the west, Kapuskasing and Hearst. It would also give them passenger rail access to Sault Ste Marie and allow packaging of the Agawa Canyon Train Tour with the Polar Bear Express.
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