Preserve railway heritage and save the roundhouse

To the Editor:

I agree with the excellent article in the May 29, 2007 edition of The Advertiser re: the demolition of the DAR roundhouse in Kentville.

The railway played a very important role in Kentville becoming a town. Now, slowly, all traces of the railway are disappearing. We lost the Warden Railway Museum, offered free to the town and turned down, so it went to another part of the province and is attracting tourists there to view the displays.

Our railway station, which was declared a Heritage property, was demolished while Wolfville restored their station, which is an attractive addition to the town.

Now the only remaining piece of railway history, the roundhouse, is soon to be part of our forgotten past. Why were the taxpayers not advised of this plan and given a say in the final decision?

There are funds available for restoration of heritage property and if interested groups had known the roundhouse was available, attempts could have been made to secure funding.

My first job, in 1940, was working for the DAR in Wolfville and many trips were taken on the train, so I have fond memories of the trains and stations.

Kentville is in need of a new library and would it not be better to look at the possibility of restoring what we already have and preserve at least a small part of what made our town rather than building? This is possible as other towns and cities with a desire to preserve our past have proven. Unfortunately, many of those who worked on the trains are no longer with us, but I’m sure they would be horrified at what we have allowed to happen to our railway history.

We have so few heritage properties left in Kentville that it would be a shame if we did not at least try to preserve this last bit of railway history that built our town and save it for future generations.

Gordon Hansford

Kentville