The former Royalty Junction train station could be on the move any day.
P.E.I. musician Tim Archer is leading a group trying to move the station from Greenvale to Marshfield and then have it fully restored.
The station was built in 1874 and was located on Brackley Point Road until Canadian National Railway decommissioned it in the 1980s. It has been on a property in Greenvale since then. While the building appears to be in rather rough shape, it’s still relatively intact.
Archer said weather and a lack of money have been challenges they have faced since The Guardian did the original story on their intentions in late October.
However, the musician said they’ve been getting terrific support from the Canadian Business Development Corporation, the Public Schools Branch, Premier Wade MacLauchlan and area MLAs.
“This is about preserving our past and getting kids involved in knowing where we came from,’’ Archer said.
Once the station is moved to Marshfield, Holland College’s retrofit program will step in and help restore the station.
“They’ve inspired us. They’ve been out snapping photos, asking very intelligent questions. I’ve been blown away by their interest. I think (the finished product) will be absolutely fantastic.’’
Archer said it’s important to preserve this station as many others were destroyed. This one is a pier station with two awnings to serve both sides of the track.
Archer’s ultimate plan is to open the station at Marshfield and name it Island Station Artisans and Eatery, a place that features good food, such as island organic products, music and an educational component. It would also feature Island artisans making pottery, painting, music, photography and homemade jewelry.
“I see this as an excellent opportunity for the educational system in Prince Edward Island,’’ Parker Grimmer, director of the Public Schools Branch, wrote in a letter of support to Archer. “Island students would get an opportunity to explore the history of the trains that played a significant role in transportation many years ago.’’
