A group of about 50 people got together recently to shout out their support for Hope’s historic railway building.
The future of the Hope Station House is still unclear, but it could be demolished as the site needs to be cleared. Protesters’ signs drew attention to the heritage value of the building, as they walked through town on Sept. 18.
While some see it as a rundown building that needs to go, others see a diamond in the rough that could be moved to Water Street and serve as a Tourism Centre, museum and even an event venue.
Council has said repeatedly they are not interested in retaining or preserving the building, due to the high cost associated and a lack of land.
But the supporters of the building are not giving up. They showed up in large numbers for their walk, despite terrible weather. Barry Stewart took photos and chronicled the event. He said that despite the rain all weekend, they were “blessed with a dry window of about an hour.”
They walked throughout the town and up to the station house, where they gathered, waved signs, and spoke about the importance of the building.
Meanwhile, Hope Mayor Peter Robb stated he has been served legal papers regarding the Hope Station House, and that he cannot speak to the issue until the legal matter is resolved.
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jessica.peters@hopestandard.com
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