Ride this cool bus all day for as little as $9!

The entrepreneurs who brought you the Miss Marie Lock Tour Boat and the waterfront Beavertails eatery are about to bring you another downtown tourism attraction.

Sheila Purvis and Jeff Dicorpo are preparing to launch a 50-minute double-decker bus tour in 2024.

They've bought an old English Leyland Double Decker that was originally used by Hiawatha Tours, which offered downtown trips during the 1970s, '80s and early '90s.

"The bus that is to be retrofitted for the new venture was sourced from a local scrap yard and was found to be in relatively good condition," said a report presented last night to city council.

"Building on the success of the Miss Marie Lock Tour Boat, the business owners identified an opportunity to expand the length of the tour by including the option to partake in a guided bus tour throughout the downtown, waterfront, and Canal District," the report said.

"Like the vision for the downtown trolley, the bus will be operated as a hop-on, hop-off tour, stopping at numerous attractions.

Those attractions will include:

• Art Gallery of Algoma
• Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site and the Canal District
• Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site
• Bellevue Park
• Sault Ste. Marie Museum
• Downtown Plaza
• Station Mall and Waterfront

Ticket prices will range from $9 to $12 a day.

A package deal including lock boat tour tickets will be available for $20 to $60.

The bus will run from May to October between 9 a.m and 6 p.m during peak months. 

"In addition to increasing tourism spending at local attractions, the double decker bus service will also add employment opportunities for three part-time bus drivers and one full-time general manager," the report said.

Tourism Sault Ste. Marie has contributed $90,000 to the project.

Last night, city council chipped in an additional $90,000 from the city's tourism development fund.