13 May 2009
Don't Expect Cash from Feds for Station
Frederiction New Brunswick's York Street station in better
days.
Frederiction New Brunswick - Canada's Veterans
Affairs minister says the old York Street train station would be a great site for a new legion, but it's unlikely Ottawa would chip in
for repairs.
"It would be a good location, there's no question about that," Greg Thompson said Friday afternoon.
"Legions are stand-alone and managed by their own, and actually the government of Canada has never been involved in
the construction of legions."
Members of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 4 said earlier this week it's interested in acquiring and rejuvenating the derelict station,
which sits fenced off, unused, and in severe disrepair.
Fredericton Mayor Brad Woodside said he's disappointed by a lack of progress on the train station. He's prepared to lobby Ottawa to
revoke the building's heritage designation so it can be knocked down and bulldozed if a deal isn't reached soon.
Thompson said he hasn't heard anything about a request to remove the designation and quashed any suggestion the feds might play a part
in restoring the site.
"In Fredericton, I know they have a very healthy organization here. Those are their decisions. They have their own budgets,
they're responsible for their own income, and so on, and so that's not something that the government of Canada would actually be
involved in."
The idea that the train station could serve as the future site of the legion is getting attention.
Tim Scammell, a member of Fredericton Friends of the Railway Inc., was supportive of the idea that the legion might want to take over
the historic site.
"That would be so appropriate and perfect. If they can swing that, that would be great," he said.
Many of the local soldiers who didn't return from the Second World War were seen off by loved ones at the train station.
Jean-Guy Perreault, president of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 4, who made public the legion's interest in Thursday's
edition of The Daily Gleaner, said he's been getting plenty of reaction to the idea.
"There's a lot of good support out there," he said.
He said a lawyer has offered to help the legion broker a deal.
Fredericton-Silverwood MLA Rick Miles said the situation needs to be resolved soon.
"I don't think there's a need to tear it down. There should be a viable solution in place to fix it up into something that people
can be proud of. If they're willing to give it to a non-profit for $1, why can't they fix it up when someone is offering
a viable solution all parties agree with? It's time to get it done. It's in terrible shape."
Shawn Berry.
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