Community group gets 30 days to come up with a plan to save Matheson train station
A group trying to save an historic train station in the small northern Ontario town of Matheson now has a 30-day stay to come up with a plan to do so.
Ontario Northland owns the century-old train station, which it had slated for demolition due to safety and structural concerns.
Barb Cornthwaite, a member of the Friends of the Matheson Train Station, says they got assurances after a meeting on Monday that they now have 30 days to present a plan to Black River-Matheson town council to save the train station.
Cornthwaite says Tory Delaurier— the mayor of the nearby community of Iroquois Falls, and the Progressive Conservative candidate for Timiskaming-Cochrane— told her the provincially-owned transportation company had agreed to the 30-day delay.
"We've got a huge to-do list, but it means that we can find out what ducks we need to line up in a row," Cornthwaite said.
Ontario Northland estimates it would cost around $2 million to bring the train station up to code, but Cornthwaite thinks it could be done for less.
She said the town of Huntsville saved its train station from demolition, and it was for less than the projected cost.
"Our projected cost is $2 million but from what we understand, includes other consulting fees and things like that," Cornthwaite said.
Timiskaming-Cochraine MPP John Vanthof says the town of Kirkland Lake also serves as an example of what a grassroots community group can achieve to save an historic building.
Community groups there partnered with mining companies in the area to save the Sir Harry Oakes Chateau, which has long served as the home of the Museum of Northern History.
"Kirkland Lake is a good example," said the New Democrat member.
"You're going to have to find a benefactor or someone who is willing to say yes, even if we do everything right, it's going to be half a million dollars. We're willing to pay that half million."
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