Rigaud Quebec - An old Canadian Pacific train station in Rigaud has a chance at a new life, if the cost to repair the heritage building isn't too high.
 
Marie-Andree Gagnon, Rigaud's communications director, said the town has been told it could qualify for a $25,000 matching grant from Parks Canada's heritage preservation fund to restore the building.
 
Before accepting, council wants to assess the total cost of bringing the structure back to a usable condition.
 
"The first step is to see how much it will cost to repair it, to see if it's worth it," said Gagnon.
 
Another concern is that although the town owns the building, the land belongs to the Agence metropolitaine de transport (AMT).
 
"If we want to do something, we have to see with the AMT if we can leave the building there or if we have to move it," said Gagnon.
 
The former Rigaud Station, at 15 rue Charlebois, was built in 1940, replacing a smaller one built in 1891.
 
It was designated a heritage site by the town in 1992, and added to the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada list of heritage railway stations in 1994.
 
Designated heritage railway stations are protected from being altered, demolished, or sold without the authorization of the Governor in Council.
 
Rigaud Station was the terminus for the commuter train to Montreal from 1898 until 2010.
 
The terminus was moved to Hudson in 2011, after the municipality of Rigaud decided the ridership levels weren't high enough to justify the costs to maintain the rail link.
 
Rigaud will be opening a call for proposals in the coming weeks to help determine the cost of renovations.
 
The town also plans to apply for other grants to help offset the cost.
 
The future use of the site is yet to be determined, but Gagnon said the town council will be open to suggestions from the community and potential partners if the project goes forward.
 
Author unknown.