u/v2r20

Hey everyone,

​I was out doing groceries recently and noticed that the shelves are looking surprisingly bare. I went to the Metro on Arthur St and the Real Canadian Superstore, and both had lots of aisles with huge gaps and very low merchandise.

​On top of the empty shelves, I noticed they have been looking really dirty lately. It honestly looks like they haven't cleaned their floors in weeks. I totally understand floors getting messy during the winter or on rainy days, but with neither of those happening right now, it just felt really off.

​Between the empty aisles and the lack of cleaning, it gave me a flashback to the pandemic shortages, or looked like when a store is having a major logistics issue (or getting ready to close up).

​Has anyone else noticed this around town lately? Does anyone know if there’s a specific reason—like a strike, staffing shortage, or supply chain problem—going on right now?

TL;DR: Metro on Arthur and the Superstore both have tons of empty shelves and really dirty floors right now. Does anyone know if there is a supply chain issue or something else going on locally?

Hey everyone,

​With the summer weather in full swing, I’m looking for recommendations for the best beaches in or around Thunder Bay.

​Ideally, I’m looking for a spot with nice, clean, clear water and a good sandy beach for a classic beach day. That being said, I know Lake Superior has some beautiful pebble beaches as well, so I’m totally open to hearing about your favorite rocky spots too.

​Where is your go-to spot to spend a sunny day by the water? I don't mind a bit of a drive if the water is clear and the spot is worth it!

TL;DR: Looking for the best clear-water beaches in or near Thunder Bay to spend a summer day—open to both sandy and pebble beaches!

Hey everyone,

​With summer finally here, I really want to give kitesurfing another try. I actually took a couple of classes a few years ago when I was living in Toronto, but I had to drive over 2 hours each way just to get to the spot, so the brutal commute eventually made me desist and I gave it up.

​Now that I'm here, I know Thunder Bay gets some decent wind, and I've read online that people go out to "The Mish" (Mission Island Marsh) because the water is shallow and sandy. I also saw the name Superior Kiteboarding pop up in some older articles.

​Does anyone know if there are any active groups, instructors, or actual summer classes right here in town?

I'm basically a beginner again and I would love to learn locally so I don't have to make a massive drive every time I want to get on the water.

​If you kiteboard around here, how did you learn, and what is the best way for a beginner to get connected with the community?

Thxxxx

Hey everyone!

​I’m looking to get back into rollerblading after many many years. I’m definitely going to be a bit shaky and probably look like a baby giraffe at first, so I’m on the hunt for spots with super smooth, even pavement where I can practice safely.

​Does anyone have good recommendations for flat, beginner-friendly paths or areas around town?

​Thanks in advance!

Hi there! Just looking to know what the going rate is to have a cat microchipped here in town.

EDIT: We do have a vet, we go to Northwestern Vet. I was just wondering if there were other places doing this maybe at a discount, like the humane society or similar.

Having said that what would be the approx price @ Northwestern?

I got to thinking about this recently after looking for a rental place for my mom. The market right now is tough—finding new-build 2-bedroom units meant looking at prices over $2,300, and trying to find a detached home at a decent price or in an acceptable state was almost impossible.

​When we actually sat down and ran the numbers, it was wild. The rental market is so inflated right now that taking on a mortgage for a cheaper, older home (often around $1,000 a month) and putting in the sweat equity ourselves made more practical sense than paying double that just to rent. So many of these older houses have great bones and just need some dedication to feel like home again, so we're going that route.

​While looking, I noticed there are actually some houses in fair shape at really good prices around the Simpson Street area. It made me wonder: if people started buying these up, fixing them up a bit, and renting them out at a fair rate (I'm genuinely curious what you all think a fair price is that works for both tenants and landlords), would that actually be good for the neighborhood?

​If enough people took a chance on the area and put in the work, would this kind of grassroots "gentrification" actually be the spark needed to bring safety, pride, and new life back to the street? I know that word can be loaded because people worry about displacement, but realistically, how else does a neighborhood like that actually recover?

​I feel like the default answer is always that the city needs to step in or provide government funding. But let's be honest—if that was going to save the area, it probably would have happened by now, or we’d at least see clearer progress. Instead of waiting on the city, what if everyday people just started putting their own hands and work into it?

​I'd love to hear what people think. What would actual, positive recovery look like for Simpson?

​TL;DR: Fixing up a cheaper, older house makes more financial sense right now than paying insane rent. If everyday people started doing this on Simpson St and renting at fair prices, could that grassroots effort finally turn the neighborhood around, or are we just waiting on a city intervention that will never come?