Friends of Freeman take their story - the history of rail in the city - when it was a town - to the Tansley Woods Community Centre.

eventsred 100x100By Pepper Parr

May 16, 2016

BURLINGTON, ON

The Friends of Freeman station have to be nominated next year for one of the Burlington’s Best awards. This is without a doubt one of the best community organizations in the city. They fought hard to overcome serious inertia on the part of city hall and city council to save the Freeman Station.

Sitting on some "cribbing" with a sign badl in need of several coats of paint, the Freeman Station gets ready for its big move.

Sitting on some “cribbing” with a sign badly in need of several coats of paint, the Freeman Station gets ready for its big move.

The city at one point had a very significant federal government grant to move and refurbish the station but couldn’t agree on where it should be located.

At one point the city ran an advertisement asking if anyone wanted the thing – to the best of our knowledge no one responded.

The late Jane Irwin fought hard to find a way to keep the structure that was in very sad shape sitting on cribbings beside the fire station on Fairview.

A city engineer actually told a Standing Committee that it couldn’t be save. That didn’t deter a group of die-hards who were not prepared to let the station get reduced to kindling.

They had every reason to be smiling. Councillors Meed Ward and Lancaster pose with five members of the Friends of Freeman Station after the Council meeting that approved the entering into of a Joint Venture that would have the Friends moving the station and taking on the task of renovating the building.

They had every reason to be smiling. Councillors Meed Ward and Lancaster pose with five members of the Friends of Freeman Station after the Council meeting that approved the entering into of a Joint Venture that would have the Friends moving the station and taking on the task of renovating the building.

Councillors Marianne Meed Ward and Blair Lancaster who don’t agree on very much most of the time did come together and champion the Friends of Freeman Station. Now whenever there is a photo op the rest of council can’t line up fast enough to get their picture taken. Wait until the day the Station is officially opened – they will all be there with their best smiles painted on their faces.

But I digress – the Friends are going to be at Tansley Woods Community Centre, 1996 Itabashi Way, on Wednesday, June 1st – 9:30 – 4:00 to tell anyone who wants to listen about the station.

“Nostalgia… and fun!
— will be the order of the day when the Friends of Freeman Station travelling model railway exhibit is displayed at the Tansley Woods Community Centre in conjunction with the City of Burlington’s Parks and Recreation Department kickoff of Seniors’ Month — Wednesday, June 1st from 9:30 AM to 4 PM.

Nostalgia… “I remember travelling by train from the Burlington Junction Station…” Young-at-heart Burlington seniors recall fondly their experiences, as we re-create the era of steam power. You’ll see a model steam locomotive and passenger train, arriving and departing from a model of the the Burlington Junction Station just as it happened in the early Twentieth century. A beautifully crafted 1/24 scale model of the Station will be part of the display.

Fun! “Look, Grandma! It’s Thomas the Tank Engine!” Bring your grandchildren to see a rare demonstration of Thomas and friends Percy, Annie, Clarabell, Troublesome Truck #1, and Troublesome Truck #2 running on our scale model railway.

Bob Chambers points to a detail of the Freeman Station model he built in his kitchen in a short 41/2 months. The model got its first public viewing at the Burlington Mall on Sunday.

Bob Chambers points to a detail of the Freeman Station model he built in his kitchen in a short 41/2 months. The model will be on display at the Tansley  Woods Community Centre.

Tansley Woods Community Centre

We’ll be there… to share the amazing story of the relocation and restoration of Burlington’s 1906 Grand Trunk Railway Station, slated for completion in 2017. There, on the Lower Level, we’ll be constructing a historic model railway diorama depicting early Twentieth-century life in the hamlet of Freeman, now a part of Burlington.

This is one of the organizations that deserve whatever you can manage in the way of donations. Every dollar they get does into the refurbishing that are a a 100% volunteer organization –no one is paid – they rely entirely on private and corporate donations to fund the costs of restoring the Burlington Junction Station under an agreement with the City of Burlington.

They are superb at scrounging as well

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