The city would have plenty of notice if and when it ever has to relocate Locomotive 6167, the decommissioned steam train engine that has called Guelph home since 1967.
A new agreement with Metrolinx, the provincial government agency that owns the land on Farquhar Street that the train sits on, says the city would be given two years notice if Metrolinx needs that property to build a platform on the south side of the tracks.
The previous agreement said the city would need only 60 days notice.
Deputy CAO Colleen Clack said no notice has been given and it’s not known if or when any will be given.
“We are certainly giving thought to what our options are if and when, but we don’t even know if they’re going to give us notice because it all comes down to when they’re building that south platform,” Clack said.
“The two-year clock hasn’t even begun yet.”
A south platform would likely be needed if and when all-day GO Train service comes to Guelph.
“There was always an agreement that we would have to relocate it if and when they needed that space for construction of a south platform, but the previous agreement was a 60-day notice, which obviously caused us some concern because that’s not a lot of time to move something that large,” Clack said.
The 78-year-old locomotive, which is officially a Guelph Museums exhibit, sits on leased land on Farquhar Street, just south of the train and bus hub.
It was moved there in 2010 after being relocated from the north side of the tracks, where it had sat since coming to Guelph in 1967.
“We’re keeping it in the back of our minds as we do planning move forward, what might we consider? but we’re not actively pursuing properties, locations or where to move it to because we don’t know if we have to.”