Tuesday, March 19, 2024

This Vancouver Island landmark could be restored if it gets enough votes (PHOTOS)

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All aboard!

It’s official, the Duncan Train Station is competing on the national stage to restore the iconic landmark.

To prevent landmarks from deteriorating in communities across the country, the National Trust of Canada hosts a competition called the Next Great Save.

Each year, thousands of applications are submitted. From those submissions judges choose 10 locations they deem worthy of the $50,000 reward.

This year, Ecclesiastical Insurance will be footing the bill as a sponsor of the National  competition.

The competition this year includes:

  • Forward House – Iroquois, ON
  • Hope Station – Hope, BC
  • Hudgin Log House – Milford, ON
  • La Vieille Maison – Meteghan, NS
  • Rossland Drill Hall – Rossland, BC
  • St. John’s Stone Church – Saint John, NB
  • Swallowtail Lighthouse – Grand Manan, NB
  • The Old Council House – Hagersville, ON
  • Turner House – Abbotsford, BC
  • Duncan Train Station — Duncan, BC

With voting now open from January 20th until February 22nd, the public can place one vote each day on the property they would like to see get saved.

At the time of this publication, Duncan Train Station is leading the competition with 14,054 votes, La Vieille Maison in Meteghan, NS follows with 12,304 votes, and Swallowtail Lighthouse in Grand Manan is in third place with 5376 votes.

The Duncan Train Station and Museum are tourist attractions that provide economic benefits to the area. 

During the summer of 2022, the museum welcomed over 8000 visitors, some from the Cowichan Valley plus international travellers.

The station, known as Duncan’s Crossing, was established in 1887. The introduction of the station allowed the town of Duncan the ability to expand as the train route brought in businesses including banks, prestigious hotels, and a creamery.

During the second world war, the railway became an essential service for agriculture, mining, forestry, and passengers.

As the decades passed the Duncan Train Station evolved with the times, and became the Cowichan Valley Museum in 1989. 

Today, the station remains a landmark building in downtown Duncan. 

In order to show your support, organizers ask the public to place votes in support of the repairs on the competition website. 

(Cowichan Valley Museum)
(Cowichan Valley Museum)
(Cowichan Valley Museum)
(Cowichan Valley Museum)

 

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