Mayor calls for repairs to historic Fredericton train station

Fredericton Mayor Brad Woodside issued a public plea to the Irving family Thursday to do something about the crumbling York Street Train Station in the city's downtown.

"It has been very frustrating for a lot of people, including myself," Woodside said Thursday. "The public has been talking about this and asking questions for a long, long time."

Residents of the city and members of city council want the issue resolved, he said, but the train station doesn't fall under the city's jurisdiction and council cannot order its owner, J.D. Irving Ltd., to clean it up.

TheHeritage Canada Foundation listed it in Februaryas one of Canada's 10 most threatened heritage sites.

"It looks bad," said Woodside. "It is unacceptable in this community or in any other community. We are really hoping that the landowners will address it. That would please a lot of people. That is all we are asking."

It's Woodside's understanding that aside from the deteriorating roof, the building is still structurally sound.

An online petition calling for action on the train station was recently posted by the group Fredericton Friends of the Railway.