In a neighbourly gesture, the Town of Smiths Falls and the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario are lending the City of Brockville a locomotive bell.
This comes not long after a similar bell was stolen from the entrance of Brockville’s historic railway tunnel in December 2018.
“The Town of Smiths Falls and the City of Brockville share a deep and rich history of railroading,” Smiths Falls Mayor Shawn Pankow said.
The bell will be on loan from the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario in Smiths Falls. It once belonged to an early D10 series locomotive built by the Kingston Locomotive Works.
“This gesture helps to turn a frustrating act of petty theft to an opportunity to be reminded how the railroad can both literally and socially connect our communities,” said Brockville mayor Jason Baker.
The bell that once stood in Brockville was stolen sometime between Dec. 24 and Dec. 29, 2018.
The disappearance of the bell puzzled many since it weighed up to 300 pounds and was bolted down in a fairly public place.
According to Brockville officials, extra precautions will be taken to ensure the safety of this new bell.