A group of Rothesay residents are asking council to consider buying the town’s historic train station.
The Rothesay Railway Station, which is the oldest in the Maritimes, was recently listed for sale at $298,000.
Michael Wenneberg and three other residents are working to try and preserve the 165-year-old building on Station Road.
Presenting to council on Tuesday, Wenneberg said they were caught “completely off guard” by news that the station was up for sale.
The station was previously saved from demolition by the Rothesay Area Heritage Trust in 1975 when CN announced it was abandoning the building, he said.
“It’s Rothesay’s only national historic site and it needs saving again, but this time permanently and this time for community purposes,” said Wenneberg.
While the building is recognized as a national historic site, Wenneberg said it has no “legal protection” as it is not in the town’s Heritage Preservation Area, nor is it designated under the province’s Heritage Conservation Act or the federal Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act.
He said the town could use the building to develop a community centre, museum, gallery, restaurant, café, performance venue, tourism information centre, an education centre, or even hold council meetings there.
Wenneberg said the town would be eligible for federal funding, and his group is willing to raise funds to help restore and operate the building.
“When I say fundraising, I don’t mean dollars and cents. We have people who are seriously interested in supporting the town in its effort for the restoration of the building,” he said.
Council unanimously approved a motion directing staff to investigate further and come back with a report.
Town manager John Jarvie said they would reach out to the building owner or real estate agent to inquire about potentially buying the building.
Jarvie said there are some costs that are not yet understood, such as aesthetic and structural repairs, the lease with CN, property taxes and insurance.
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