Much has happened since we last placed a post on here. We placed patches on the roof in the summer of 2013 to keep out the rain. In December of 2013 we officially insured the train station in the name of our committee. On January 28th of 2014 we signed a long term lease with VIA Rail  for over 40 years and since then we have been completing work on our charitable status and smaller grant projects. We have had offers of museum pieces related to the train station and  have been in touch with Wins Bridgman of BridgmanCollaborative Architecture in Winnipeg about the next steps in the restoration of the building. We are also working on completing the train rail pergola that we built in the Rivers Millennium Park . It was added to  last year with a flower bed. This year we will have a local welder with artistic talent provide a fan shaped addition to the inside areas of the pergola so that Virginia Creeper can begin to climb the rails and cover it. We will also place two granite signs honoring those that have donated money to see these things happen. A grant has been applied for through the Provincial Government to get the restoration process moving forward with a study to determine what the space inside the Station may be used for. From a museum and tourist information booth to the home of  VIA Rail to the Rivers and Area Community Foundation. Lots of ideas have been ongoing and we will continue to keep those flowing. The flowers have been planted by the stationette to welcome visitors and those that get on and off the train here. We will carry on with more news as it comes our way.

1 comment:

sandra Sales said...

If you are looking for portraits of families who worked on the railroad in the early 1900s I can provide a portrait of Edward J. Cox, wife Emily and daughter Barbara. I can probably also find a photo of Edward's brother Sid. If the H. J. Cox was Henry, there is a possibility that he was the parent of Edward and Sid. I could provide a photo of him and his wife as well.

Sandra Sales
Ottawa