'Ingenuity' can save endangered station: developer

A Fredericton developer is challenging the community to save its historic train station from further ruin.

Dave Davis is restoring a much larger heritage building across the road from York Street's derelict Canadian Pacific Railway station, which has been named one of the country's 10 most endangered heritage sites.

Davis is just finishing renovations to the old Hartt Shoe Factory. The 108-year-old red brick building came close to being demolished two years ago, but is now scheduled to reopen on June 1. The factory that was once famous for making boots for the RCMP will be home to new apartments and stores.

But the penthouse view from the renovation project is of Fredericton's largest heritage disgrace.

A fence surrounds the old train station, deterring vandals from damaging what's left of the rotting building. The roof is falling in, the windows are broken and the walls are defaced with graffiti. Pigeons are the only sign of life.

The century-old building's current owner has been trying to sell it for years. The cost of renovations is estimated at $2 million.

The Ottawa-based Heritage Canada Foundation included the building in a list of the most-threatened historic places in the country last February in an effort to raise public awareness of the fragile state of some of the nation's architectural treasures.

Davis believes the train station has development potential, and thinks it could be repaired and restored with help from the community for a mere $350,000.

Davis bought the Hartt building after two other owners walked away from it. His construction crew has been working on the restoration since last September. Fresh paint adorns the walls, and columns of hand-cleaned brick decorate the hallways.

Davis says that, based on his experience with the shoe factory, restoring the train station would take his crew about four months. "It's going to take some ingenuity. It's going to take some pretty skilled guys. But we've got them. Fredericton has a lot of talented people and motivated people, so it could turn into just a regular job."

Davis believes the community should take on the task, with builders and suppliers donating time and materials. "You'll find at the end of the day, when the willingness is there, and the energy is there, the enthusiasm is there, the cost of things start to go down quite quickly."