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."

Student Petition

The Fredericton Friends of the Railway were contacted by Murray Yeomans, a student at Leo Hayes High School. He organized a petition to save our York Street train station and gathered over 300 signatures. Murray plans to present it to city council members today. Story in the Times and Transcript. I was called for my comments on this story.

This petition, and the remarkable young man behind it, shows the broad range of support for the restoration of our station in the city. Let's hope the council consider that when they review their options for the station today.

Funding Sources

I have been doing some research into sources of funding for rebuilding the station. I know in the past that funding has been available from ACOA for rebuilding old train stations through the Strategic Community Investment Fund, but that has expired.

I see there is an Innovative Communities Fund available that seems to be a good fit for what we are trying to do with the station.

Does anyone have other ideas for funding the rebuilding of our station?

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

CBC Article

Past president Tim Scammell was quoted in a CBC article about our station.

"I have been in touch with the Irvings, as well, and they promised me that they are doing everything they can.… They haven't given up on this," Scammell said.

"Unfortunately, they can't tear it down, as Mr. Woodside is saying. But something should be done."

Keep the faith.

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.

Waiting On The Study

While we wait for the ADI study to be released by Enterprise Fredericton, I thought I would share this photo of our station from June 1978.

Noted railway historian Art Clowes took this photo. Click on the photo for a larger version.

Contrast that photo with this one I took in August 2008.


See what has happened to our station? It is a real shame. But I believe we can rebuild it, and make it back into a building we can be proud of. Let's make the station a shining symbol of how much we care about heritage here in Fredericton and in New Brunswick.