(Photo credit from Dean Anderson at Catalina Motel)
I asked local hotelier, Dean Anderson, of the Catalina Motel, to share with us the impacts that the loss of train service has had on his business in Sault Ste. Marie.
Over the past 12 years our business, Catalina Motel, has sought to harness the passenger train as a viable tourism opportunity through the spring, summer, fall and winter months. In the last few years that the train was operating, I was putting together as many Hearst/Hawk Junction based packages as I was selling Agawa Canyon Train Tour packages. Since the passenger train has ceased to operate, it has made it a daunting task to continue on as a year-round tourism based establishment. If we compared the last 2 winter seasons that the passenger train has not operated to the last 2 that is was operating we saw a cumulative decline in revenue from December to March by about 70%, directly related to the stoppage of the passenger train.
I appeal to people reading this blog to do what you can to support the restart of the passenger train in Algoma. I am just one of many that are affected negatively by its stoppage and ask that you contact our local politicians and ask them to help get the passenger train going again.
Dean Anderson
Catalina Motel
For a more detailed economic impact statement from Dean, please click here.
Hi Mr. Watson – I won’t respond to any opinion based comments as everyone is entitled to their opinion, I just wanted to clarify one thing for fact purposes – the Missanabie Cree First Nation would personally take on the liability as well as a down payment on equipment that government funding and grants will not cover. There is a cost to the operator , the MCFN, that we are responsible for! Thank you!
These people still don’t get it that the train was a huge money losing proposition in the millions every year. If people like this and Mr. Errington want the train back they are going to have to start chipping in large towards the cause.
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