Submitted by Brittany Newman, Golden & District Historial Society
In early 2024, the Golden and District Historical Society issued an open survey to stakeholders and community members to understand how the community felt about Golden’s Old CPR Train Station.
Throughout the years, there has been much discussion about what to do with the old Golden CPR Station. In 1992, after some sensationalized conflicting ideas regarding its future use, the Town of Golden sold it to the Golden & District Historical Society for a dollar, along with a parcel of land for it to sit on. In September, the station was moved closer to the museum, waiting for a foundation to be built before shifting its current resting place.
Since its move 30 years ago, the Station has been central to many discussions regarding what to do with it. Plans have been drawn up over the years, but without the capacity to raise funds to bring these plans to fruition, the Station has received only enough attention to keep it in stable condition.
However, the Golden and District Historical Society recognizes its significance and potential. In the last ten years, the Station has received a new roof, been fitted with an accessibility ramp, received some new doors and windows, and has been highlighted as a priority in our newest strategic plan.
Ultimately, the survey was created to gauge the community’s interest and support in a project surrounding the restoration of the Station. Because it is a community building owned by a community-oriented organization, we wanted to ensure that we were creating a space that is both useful and wanted by the community. Our most successful projects are those people are passionate about, and we wanted to ensure we encapsulated that passion.
We had an overwhelmingly positive experience with this survey, with 228 individual responses. In addition to the pre-generated answers we provided for selection, we also received many suggestions that were not on the list of options for future use. Many people suggested a café, a bar, or a restaurant. There were suggestions for an artisan marketplace, an indoor farmers market, or retail spaces. Housing units were also suggested. Overall, the number of suggestions and options is incredible.
We also received a fair number of supportive comments and suggestions, some of which may not be feasible to implement but will all be carefully considered. A small number of survey responses were unsupportive of the project for a few reasons, and their comments will also be explored to ensure that we consider all of the factors before undergoing an expensive project.
The Golden and District Historical Society has requested proposals from architects and engineers to create a plan, and we expect to get some fantastic proposals back. This planning process will explore physical drawings and plans for the Station and the things that can and should be done with this fantastic building. Once we’ve picked the right team, we will seek funding to develop this plan.
We will also be assembling a committee to help oversee the development of future planning and funding opportunities. We will reach out to those who expressed interest in this project. If you would like to volunteer and have not already done so, please get in touch with the Golden Museum team.
This project will take a large amount of time and money. While we hope to have a plan within the next 12 to 18 months, we do not expect to start physical work on the building for several years. We intend to get a strong, clear plan in place that breaks the work down into manageable stages so that we know exactly where to begin each time funding is found.
To review the full survey results, visit www.goldenbcmuseums.com
