(The following story by Jason Chamberlain appeared on the North Umberland News website on September 10, 2009.)
COBOURG, Ontario — The Town of Cobourg will soon have a new train station, thanks to the Government of Canada and VIA Rail.
Mayor Peter Delanty and Northumberland Quinte-West MP Rick Norlock joined VIA Rail Canada’s Chief Operating Officer John Marginson at the Cobourg train station on Thursday, Sept. 10, for the announcement. The federal government will provide $1 million for the project while VIA will supply the remaining $7 million. Designs are yet to be finalized, but what is certain is that the project will include a new train station to replace the current Grand Trunk building. The latter, a heritage building, will remain standing and VIA is in discussions with the town on how best to make use of it. The project will also include the creation of an official third rail line in and around Cobourg to hasten traffic and lessen congestion.
Mayor Delanty was, naturally, ebullient at the announcement.
“VIA has a lot of faith in our community. They feel it’s economically viable,” he said. “This is exciting news for the Town of Cobourg and for the county. VIA is a fabulous service that adds to our economy.”
Mayor Delanty was quick to note the $8 million infusion will create new jobs for the town, just one of the many benefits of which he and Mr. Norlock spoke.
“It will create jobs, stimulate the economy and provide a better service to local customers,” said the MP, who was also pleased at the environmental implications of the news. “I believe more people need to get off the highway and use the rail service. It will lessen greenhouse gases.”
Mayor Delanty agreed.
“It will certainly contribute to the greening of our country.”
The project is an extension of VIA’s two-year, $300 million CN Kingston Subdivision Project, an expansive plan to improve on travel across the Quebec-Windsor corridor. The addition of a new main line track in Cobourg is consistent with this new vision, which will allow three trains (VIA or CN freight) to pass each other without stopping, making travel safer and quicker. The new station, meanwhile, is necessary as the current train usage has outgrown the old Grand Trunk building.
Construction on the expansion is currently slated to begin and end in 2010.
“The prosperity of Cobourg is very much linked with the railroad being present in our town,” said the mayor. “We do well because (VIA) does well.”