As a member of the Hope community for many years I would like to voice my thoughts – re: funding to Save the Hope Station House
It seems that misinformation is being put out to locals that I would like to correct. Taxes will not be used to move and renovate the Station House. IF the District Council would work with the people who have an interest to save history there are government grants out there that can be applied for and IF the District would apply for these grants along with the aforesaid people each grant applied for would be much higher than if it was applied for by the locals.
As things stand now the District owns the Station House building and the District, in my humble opinion, is ‘fiddle farting’ around so that time will run out to apply for this year’s grant funding applications.
And why do you think they are doing this? So that they can then tear the building down, sell the lumber to others who are renovating their old stations? With the price of lumber at astronomical prices at this point in time the District would make big bucks selling the Station House lumber to someone like Boston Bar as they have been awarded $1.9 million to renovate their station, (which I understand is in MUCH worse shape than the Hope Station House).
In 2017 that District Council had plans to put the Info Centre and Museum into the Hope Station House at the Old Hope Princeton Way location. As I understand it THIS council isn’t interested in giving any District property to put it on or to help save this 105-year-old building for some reason. Could it be that they want sales of District property and sale of the Station House lumber to fund the idea of building a new Municipal Hall and Plaza in Memorial Park?
Sharon L. Blythe
Hope BC
