(rshsdepot) Fredericton, NB

[I95BERNIEW_@_aol.com]

From The Daily Gleaner.
 
Bernie Wagenblast
 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
Train station roof 'won't last winter'

 
 
 
 
 
 
By JACQUELINE  LEBLANC
leblanc.jacqueline_@_dailygleaner.com  





Published Tuesday October 9th, 2007 
Appeared on page A1

 
The fate of the York Street Train Station is looking grim, says Tim  
Scammell. 
The spokesman for the Fredericton Friends of the Railway recently posted an  
online petition to lobby the government to take action on the train station,  
located on York Street. 
He said it's time to act now before it's too late. 
"The station is falling apart,'' he said. "I couldn't believe how bad the  
roof was when I went there today since the last time I went by a couple weeks  
ago. 
"We have to do something, either make the owner do something about it, or do  
it and give them a bill." 
The train station is included on a list of Canada's 10 most threatened  
heritage sites. 
The station, which has been closed since 1990, is owned by J.D. Irving Ltd.  
of Saint John. 
Scammell said in some municipalities, if homeowners let their homes become  
eye sores, the city will step up and fix them, and then charge the owners for  
the work. 
"Homeowners would not be allowed to let a property look like this. You know  
the rules. 
"You can't have a property look like this. Why is Irving different? What  
makes them above the rules," Scammell said. 
"It's time for the city, the province, anybody, some kind of authority to go  
in there, do something about it, because the owner isn't doing something 
about  it. Fix it, or at least help it, so it's not getting worse." 
Scammell said he doubts the roof of the station will last through the  
winter. 
"There's only so much more water, weather, precipitation that can get inside  
and freeze and thaw before these walls are just going to say, 'OK, enough! 
This  is it,' " he said. 
Although Scammell said his predecessor Bill Thorpe took a more passive  
approach at trying to save the train station, he's ready to get serious. 
"The passive way is not going to work anymore. That's why we're taking an  
aggressive approach now. It has to be now, or we're going to lose this forever.  
And that will really upset me if that happens." 
Once the petition, found at www.petitiononline.com/yksta/petition.html, is  
filled, Scammell said he will deliver it in person to MPs, MLAs and city  
council. 
"We've waited long enough for the owners to do something, it's not going to  
happen. Step in, please." 
No one from the city was available for comment this  weekend.





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End of RSHSDepot Digest V1 #1613
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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org