(rshsdepot) Canaan, CT

[jdent1_@_optonline.net]

http=3A//www=2Erep-am=2Ecom/story=2Ephp=3Fid=3D12022

=2450=2C000 gift allows work to continue Group rebuilding Canaan railroad=
 station =


Sunday=2C November 7=2C 2004 =


By Gale Courey Toensing =



Copyright =A9 2004 Republican-American =


CANAAN -- The =242=2E5 million restoration project at Union Station is mo=
ving forward with the recent gift of =2450=2C000 from an anonymous Northw=
est Corner donor through the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation=2E =


=22This is a hugely significant boost to our efforts to rebuild the railr=
oad station=2C=22 said First Selectman Doug Humes Jr=2E=2C president of t=
he Connecticut Railroad Historical Association=2E =


Union Station=2C built in 1871=2C was the oldest continuously operating r=
ailroad station in the country before more than half of the structure was=
 destroyed by arson in October 2001=2E =


The original railroad station consisted of two=2C 90-foot wings joined in=
 the center by a three-story tower that once offered railroad telegraph o=
perators a clear view of the tracks=2E The fire destroyed the north-south=
 wing of the station and the central tower=2E Four local youths were arre=
sted=2C charged and sentenced for setting the blaze=2E =


In early 2003=2C the Connecticut Railroad Historical Association=2C a non=
profit organization formed in 1964=2C purchased the remaining east-west w=
ing and site=2E The group has been fund-raising and grant-writing to rais=
e the estimated =242=2E5 million for a complete rebuilding and refurbishi=
ng of the station=2E The landmark Victorian-era building is the centerpie=
ce of town=2E =


=22We=27ve come a long way and still have a ways to go in meeting our =24=
2=2E5 million goal=2E But this is the single largest local gift and we ar=
e thrilled to put it to work immediately=2C=22 Humes said=2E The money is=
 being used to continue work on the east-west wing=2E =


So far=2C unstable structures have been demolished and the site has been =
cleared of debris=3B a new foundation has been poured where the old build=
ing rested on piers=3B an in-ground electrical system and vault for an el=
ectrical transformer have been installed=3B and historic lighting and new=
 decking have been added in the east-west wing=2E =22We=27re continuing t=
he work as far as the =2450=2C000 will take us=2C=22 Humes said=2E =


The work to date has been funded by a =2445=2C000 grant from the state=27=
s Small Cities Block Grant program and =2420=2C000 in local contributions=
=2E The state also has committed =24700=2C000 form the Small Town Economi=
c Assistance Program=2C but the money has not yet been released=2E =


Another =241=2E7 million has been committed by the federal government=27s=
 Department of Transportation grant program=2C but President Bush has not=
 yet signed the bill releasing the funds=2E =


While waiting for the government funds to be released=2C a lot of the res=
toration work has been done by volunteers and in-kind donations of materi=
als and services=2C including the Falls Village Saw Mill=2C Tallon Lumber=
=2C and C=2EA=2E Lindell=2C Humes said=2E =


The restoration project will include a railroad museum=2C a restaurant an=
d commercial space=2E =


Once the state and federal monies are released=2C construction will move =
forward rapidly=2C Humes said=2E =


Berkshire Taconic Executive Director Jennifer Dowley said her organizatio=
n is =22thrilled=22 to facilitate the =2450=2C000 grant =22for a project =
that=27s so important to the heart of Canaan=2E It=27s our job to make ch=
aritable giving easy=2E =


This donor may not have come forward if he/she didn=27t have an easy way =
of doing so anonymously=2C=22 Dowley said=2E =


Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation=27s mission is to foster philanthr=
opy to improve the quality of life in the tri-state area of Litchfield Co=
unty=2C Berkshire County in Massachusetts=2C and Dutchess and Columbia co=
unties in New York=2E For more information=2C go to www=2Eberkshiretaconi=
c=2Eorg=2E =


Saving the station =


Contributions for the rebuilding and restoration of Canaan=27s Union Stat=
ion are welcome to the Connecticut Railroad Historical Association=2C PO =
Box 255=2C Canaan=2C CT 06018=2E The town landmark was the nation=27s old=
est continuously operating railroad station until fire destroyed half of =
the building in October 2001=2E Fund-raising and work at the site has bee=
n ongoing since=2E 

=================================
The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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