100 years and holding

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Published on Saturday, May 6, 2017

By Jessie Bell

The Rivers Banner

There’s going to be a historical birthday party in Rivers on Friday, June 9. It will be held on the north side of the CN station where a plaque will be placed on the building by Lt.-Gov. Janice Filmon.

It was at the train station committee meeting held on Tuesday, April 25 in Lee’s Restaurant that the announcement was made by committee chairperson Donna Morken. Dedication of the bronze plaque will be in recognition of the station’s 100th year. All are welcome to this memorable occasion, to be held at 11:30 a.m.

The present station was built in 1917, replacing the first structure which was destroyed by fire. It started out as Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in 1907 and was the first repair centre west of Winnipeg. Coal and water for steam engines were replenished here, and the station provided electric power to the town. All well-used portion of the building was a restaurant, named The Beanery, which operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These hours were a convenience for railway workers, passengers, the community and thousands of military personnel from the neighbouring Canadian Joint Air Training Centre. The station was designated a heritage site in 1992.

Following presentation of the station plaque, an invitation-only luncheon will be held in the upstairs level of Riverdale Community Centre at 12 noon. Planned for the afternoon is dedication of another plaque at the wetlands area northeast of Rivers. The lieutenant-governor will plant an eight-foot regal celebration red maple tree at the official grand opening of Rivers Wetland Centre of Excellence, which had its start some years ago. The tree is a special order from Jeffrey’s Nursery Ltd. in Portage la Prairie.