Thunder Bay says CN should honour century-old contract

In the midst of a dispute over the re-opening of the James Street swing bridge, the City of Thunder Bay releasedthe agreement between the former Grant Trunk Railroad and the Town of Fort William.on Monday.

It's the first time the document has been available to the public.

The agreement now governs interactions between the city of Thunder Bay and CN Rail regarding the bridge that has been closed to cars and trucks since a fire last fall.

It outlineshow the railway planned tobuild a bridge over the Kaministiquia River, to be completed inSeptember, 1907.

The bridge was to have access for a street railway, vehicle and foot traffic, as well as a vehicle approach on the First Nation side of the river.

The document says, "the company will give the municipal corporation the perpetual right to cross said bridge."

The town was to pay $50,000 when the bridge was completed.

The agreement says "the company will maintain the bridge in perpetuity without cost to the town."

Mayor Keith Hobbs said he believes CN is legally required to keep the bridge open to vehicular traffic, based on the wording in the century-old contract.