Train Station as Transportation Hub?

Gerald Fraser made a good comment in the Daily Gleaner. He suggests that the train station be made into a transportation hub.

"This station was once a transportation hub and the older generation will remember it. With the growing concerns about energy conservation and air pollution, its function for travellers could be reinstated. It is a better location for a bus terminal than the current site and buses could provide a connection to airports and railway stations."

It's not a bad idea!

Read the comment

Station Options

The city had a meeting Monday evening to discuss their options for the station. The Daily Gleaner report is here. The gist of the article is that the city has no leverage to force any work to be done on the station.

I met with Deputy Mayor Tony Whalen Tuesday morning to introduce myself and talk about our station. He confirmed what the Gleaner reported. He (and I) are hopeful that something will come through very soon for the station.

Daily Gleaner Article About Murray Yeomans' Petition

Here's the complete Daily Gleaner article, with much more detail than the Times & Transcript version I wrote about earlier today.

As I said in the article, "It shows that there's a broad range of support to restore the station, and it's not just people who remember the station from their youth, but it's also today's youth who are interested in keeping our heritage alive."

Fredericton Friends of the Railway in the News

I was quoted extensively in this article. I spoke at length with Ms. McLaughlin and I believe she quoted me correctly.

We need to work on uncovering:

• A potential owner for the station
• Funding options from all levels of government
• Private donors and fundraising

The will to do something about the station is there. It's clear that the people of Fredericton would like to see their old station restored to its former glory. We need to take that will and turn it into action.

If anyone wants to contact me to talk about the station, you can do so via email at steve@theboykos.com, or by phone at 455-9792.

Times and Transcript

Another article, this time in the Times & Transcript, about our train station. Deputy Mayor Tony Whalen was interviewed and said the train station was a "wonderful piece of heritage for the city". He and Councillor Chase met with J.D. Irving representatives to get an update on what can be done with the station.

Here's another article from the Gleaner from Monday.

Federal Candidates Promise to Make Station a Priority

The latest Daily Gleaner article has quotes from Conservative candidate Keith Ashfield and Liberal candidate David Innes pledging support for restoring the station, should they be elected.

Let's hold them to that.

City Council to Tackle

There is an article in today's Daily Gleaner about our station. It says that council will meet with the Planning & Priorities Committee Monday night to discuss the city's options with respect to the station.

City Councillor Stephen Chase said tearing the station down "would be his preference rather than watching the building die slowly from neglect."

This cannot happen! This station is too important to Fredericton and to New Brunswick in general to allow it to be torn down.

Read the article

Can't find a buyer, can't tear it down

That was the headline of an article in the Saturday Daily Gleaner.

Let's hope we find a buyer soon!

Woodside: Fix train station or tear it down

From the Daily Gleaner:

"The situation is intolerable and unacceptable. My next letter to the Irvings is (to tell them to) either move on this or tear it down. Get it out of there," the mayor said Thursday. "People don't even like to drive down York Street. It's pathetic."

Hear, hear. Obviously we want it to be fixed, not torn down, but it is good to hear the mayor come out so strongly in favour of action on our station.

Our Station in the Gleaner

Shawn Berry of the Daily Gleaner published an article about our station. The article discusses the study by Enterprise Fredericton, but also briefly covers the history of previous attempts to purchase and restore the station.

A photo of A.L. Gullison's work to maintain the station is shown.

There is an interesting idea in the first comment on the article. Jason Price suggests the Acadian bus terminal should operate out of the station. We need more ideas like this.

Friends in the News

Past president Tim Scammell noticed that there was a new entry way into the station, and made some calls. The Daily Gleaner reports that J.D. Irving's contractor will fix the board and repair a gap in the fence.

Spokesperson Geoff Britt said "the company continues to work to find development opportunities for the station and surrounding properties."

I walked by the station at noon Wednesday and saw the new hole. Notice how the brickwork is starting to fall apart at the top of the wall.