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Happy Tuesday, Thunder Bay! The heat is the headline again — Monday hit a near-record 39°C. In today’s issue: a reworked apartment plan for Arundel Street, a hometown pitcher signs with the San Diego Padres, and five orphaned swans catch a very special flight south. Plus this week’s Indigenous Community Feature, a new podcast episode, and a full slate of things to do. Stay cool out there. ☀️
In this Harbour Beat Issue…
🥵 One of the hottest days ever recorded here
🏗️ Arundel Street’s apartment plan gets reworked
⚾ A hometown pitcher signs with the Padres
🦢 Five orphaned swans fly south with a teen pilot
🪶 Indigenous Community Feature: the Dilico Powwow returns
🎧 Harbour Beat Connect: this week’s podcast
Trivia: How many hearts does an octopus have? (Answer at the bottom!)
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Your week-ahead guide to Thunder Bay — here’s what’s worth getting out for over the next few days. 🎉
Tuesday, July 14
K-Hunters: The Show — 6:30 p.m. · 📍 Thunder Bay Community Auditorium · A live music-and-dance stage show riffing on the K-pop Demon Hunters craze · 📅 Add to Calendar
Youth Cultural Festival — 7–9 p.m. · 📍 Bora Laskin Building, Lakehead University · A free evening of music, art and performance celebrating youth culture · 📅 Add to Calendar
Wednesday, July 15
Live on the Waterfront — 6–9 p.m. · 📍 Marina Park · The free Wednesday concert series returns with live bands, food trucks and vendors · 📅 Add to Calendar
Belluz Farm Strawberry Social — 10 a.m. · 📍 Goods & Co. Market · Fresh-picked local strawberries and treats from Belluz Farms · 📅 Add to Calendar
Friday, July 17
Delusions After Dark (Comedy + Mentalism) — 8 p.m. (19+) · 📍 Campfire Comedy · A dark, funny night of comedy and mind-reading; doors at 7:30 · 📅 Add to Calendar
Tumblestone Festival Fundraiser — 9 p.m. ($10, 19+) · 📍 Black Pirates Pub · A live-music fundraiser for the Tumblestone festival · 📅 Add to Calendar
Saturday, July 18
Festival of India — 3–8 p.m. · 📍 Marina Park · Food, music, dance and colour at the annual Festival of India on the waterfront · 📅 Add to Calendar
Rockin’ Around the Coffee Shop Summer Market — 12–6 p.m. · 📍 905 Copper Cres. · An outdoor summer market with local makers, vendors and music · 📅 Add to Calendar
⚠️ HEAT WARNING + SMOKE ADVISORY IN EFFECT
Environment Canada has an orange heat warning up for Thunder Bay, plus an air-quality advisory for wildfire smoke. Expect a high near 34°C with a humidex of 39 and a very high UV index of 9. Drink plenty of water, take breaks in the shade or A/C, never leave kids or pets in a parked car, limit time in the smoke, and check on elderly neighbours and anyone without a way to cool down.
☀️ Tuesday, July 14 — Thunder Bay
34°C
Feels like 39 · Overnight low 16°C
A mix of sun and cloud · 30% morning showers · UV index 9 (very high) · Wind W 20 gusting 40 km/h
After a near-record scorcher, Tuesday brings a small break — a mix of sun and cloud with a 30% chance of a morning shower or thunderstorm and a high near 34°C (humidex 39). Winds pick up from the west, gusting to 40 km/h late morning, and the UV index stays very high at 9 — so keep the sunscreen and water handy. The orange heat warning and a wildfire-smoke air-quality advisory remain in effect, but real relief is close: highs settle back to the mid-20s from Wednesday on. Full forecast at Environment Canada.
One of the hottest days ever recorded here
Monday wasn’t just hot — it was historic. Environment Canada clocked 39.1°C at the Thunder Bay Airport, one of the hottest days since record-keeping began, with the humidex peaking at 44. Only one July 13 has ever been hotter here (40°C, back in 1936), and the all-time record still stands at 40.3°C in 1983. The city extended cooling-centre hours, handed out water and fans at encampments, and urged everyone to check on neighbours as the orange heat warning holds into Tuesday evening.
A reworked apartment plan for Arundel Street
A proposal to build two apartment buildings on green space off Arundel Street has been revised. The updated plan shows two six-storey buildings (plus a storey of indoor parking) reoriented to sit farther back from the single-family homes on Toledo Street, with landscaping in between. The developer, Terralux, is hosting a public information session on July 20 at the North End Community Centre, and city council will weigh the zoning and official-plan amendments on Aug. 11.
A hometown pitcher signs with the Padres
Thunder Bay right-hander Jack Pineau is turning pro. After going undrafted in the 2026 MLB draft, the former Border Cats pitcher and St. Ignatius grad signed a free-agent deal with the San Diego Padres. Ranked the 13th-best Canadian in this year’s class, Pineau spent the last three seasons at Creighton, going 7-3 with a 4.21 ERA in 2026. “There was always an extra buzz in the stands when he pitched at Port Arthur Stadium,” said Border Cats GM Bryan Graham.
Five orphaned swans fly south with a teen pilot
It took a whole province to save them. Five orphaned trumpeter swan cygnets — found near Sioux Lookout, Dryden and Oxdrift — were nursed at Thunder Bay’s Thunderbird Raptor Rescue, then flown to a southern-Ontario rehab centre by 18-year-old volunteer pilot Isaiah Frazao with Canadian Wings of Rescue. The fluffy passengers “were great — didn’t hear them at all,” he said. They’ll grow up at a Flamborough facility with Trumpeter Swan Conservation Ontario before being released back to the wild.
🪶 Indigenous Community Feature
The Dilico Powwow returns to Anemki Place
One of the season’s warmest community gatherings is just around the corner. Dilico Anishinabek Family Care hosts its 8th Annual Powwow on Thursday, July 23 at Anemki Place on Fort William First Nation, with Grand Entry at 1 p.m. Powwows are open, welcoming celebrations of Anishinabek culture — expect the heartbeat of the drum, dancers in vibrant regalia, and the warmth of a whole community coming together. All are welcome to attend respectfully.
Harbour Beat Connect 🎧
Build & Thrive Thunder Bay
Host: Robert Downing · Guest: Laura
The Hidden Marketing Assets You Already Have (But Aren’t Using)
This week, Robert Downing digs into the marketing assets most local businesses already own but rarely use — from a loyal customer list to an existing social following — and how to turn them into fresh leads without spending a dime. It’s a practical, 10-minute listen for any owner looking to do more with what they’ve already got.
In this episode:
The “hidden gems” hiding in your current customer base
Simple ways to repurpose content you’ve already made
Low-cost moves to boost visibility and engagement
New episodes every Monday.
Meme of the Day
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What's faster than word of mouth? The Harbour Beat Spotlight! Keeps you updated on what's going on locally and connects businesses to our vibrant community.
Trivia answer: Three. An octopus has three hearts — two pump blood through the gills, while the third circulates it to the rest of the body. That third heart actually stops beating when the octopus swims, which is one reason these clever creatures often prefer to crawl.