17 February 2011

Lanark County Interested in Rail Bed of Ottawa Valley Railway Line

Lanark County Ontario - On the record, Lanark County is interested in the rail bed beneath the Ottawa Valley Railway (OVR) line between Smiths Falls and Petawawa (104 miles).
 
The line is owned by Canadian Pacific (CP) Rail.
 
During a special meeting of County Council on 2 Feb 2011, councillors carried a motion asking CP Rail to give them the right of first refusal should they remove the rails and decide to dispose of the bed, said Al Lunney, former mayor of Mississippi Mills and a consultant for the county on the OVR line.
 
The request, made through a joint letter with Renfrew County, includes bridges and trestles, added Sharon Mousseau, Lanark County Warden.
 
Lanark County is interested in the line's Chalk River subdivision, while Renfrew County is looking at the North Bay subdivision.
 
In February 2010, CP Rail advertised its intention to sell the OVR line.
 
"Our request follows a meeting we held with CP Rail where they indicated such an expression of interest would be appropriate," said Mousseau. "The rationale in doing so was to ensure that the bed would remain intact for future use. For example, recreational."
 
In attendance at the meeting, which was held in Perth on 28 Jan 2011 at the County of Lanark offices, were representatives from Lanark and Renfrew counties and senior executives from CP Rail in Calgary and Toronto.
 
"It went well," said Lunney. "CP Rail explained in detail the process that would take place should the line be removed."
 
In regards to the letter, "we have not yet heard back from CP Rail, but do not expect to for awhile," said Mousseau.
 
The final deadline for submissions from interested parties to buy the OVR line, valued at $50 million, was 5 Feb 2011. After, CP Rail has the right to dismantle the line and sell the materials (steel).
 
"CP Rail will continue to entertain proposals until they start removing the rails," said Lunney.
 
There's still time.
 
"They are not going to pull them (rails) in the dead of winter."
 
Tara Gesner.