The McAdam Railway Station celebrated the grand opening of the Maxwell room today, following extensive repairs and renovations to the building over the last few years. The event was held as part of New Brunswick Heritage Week 2010.

The Honourable Greg Thompson, MP for New Brunswick Southwest, on behalf of the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of National Revenue, Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway; the Honourable Greg Byrne, Minister of Finance; and his Worship Frank Carroll, Mayor of McAdam, took part in the grand opening ceremony.

“ACOA’s investments in projects throughout New Brunswick are delivering our Government’s commitment to enhancing the capacity of communities in our province to overcome economic challenges and take advantage of their natural strengths,” said MP Thompson. “The McAdam Railway Station restoration initiative enhances this national historic site as a tourism destination and creates opportunities for it as a community focal point for events on a year round basis.”

“The restoration of the McAdam Railway Station is another feather in the cap for McAdam and the region,” said Finance Minister Greg Byrne, on behalf of Business New Brunswick Minister Victor Boudreau, who is also minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation. “The Province of New Brunswick is proud to be a major partner in this national and provincial historic site, helping restore this facility into a heritage and tourism site.

“McAdam is a community proud of its heritage and rightly so,” said Mayor Carroll. “The restoration of this magnificent Canadian icon, the McAdam Railway Station, is a must to preserving the history of rail in Canada. Through grit and determination the citizens of this community not only keep the Station open, but as well, have a vision that will see future economic opportunity as the McAdam Railway Station is returned to the bustling hub that it once was. In McAdam we are building on our heritage to develop our future.”

Built in 1900, the McAdam Railway Station is a National and Provincial Historic site and a designated Heritage Railway Station. The McAdam Historical Restoration Commission (MHRC), established in the early 1990s, has undertaken different projects to restore this significant landmark as a tourism destination. Phase I of the project consisted of repairs and upgrades of the station, while phase II included renovations of the lunch counter, the Telegraph Office and the Maxwell room as well as other restoration work. In phase III, the MHRC has hired a coordinator to oversee the future use of the Station, a
fund-raising campaign to support further improvements and the design of a website to promote the facility as a tourism destination.

The Government of Canada, through ACOA’s Strategic Community Investment Fund and Innovative Communities Fund has invested nearly $740,000 in the McAdam Railway Station project. The Province of New Brunswick contributed $63,500 to the initiative while the McAdam Historical Restoration Commission provided close to $180,000.

FOR BROADCAST USE:

MP for New Brunswick Southwest, the Honourable Greg Thompson, on behalf of National Revenue and ACOA Minister Keith Ashfield; Minister of Finance, the Honourable Greg Byrne; and McAdam Mayor Frank Carroll took part in the grand opening of the Maxwell room at the McAdam Railway Station today as part of New Brunswick Heritage Week 2010.

The National and Provincial Historic site underwent major repair and restoration work in the last few years thanks to investments of nearly $740,000 from the Government of Canada through ACOA, $63,500 from the provincial government as well as funds raised by the McAdam Historical Restoration Commission.

Completion of the restoration project will allow the municipality to promote the McAdam Railway Station as a tourism destination, attract visitors to the area, stimulate the economy and create new job opportunities. The newly renovated facility will also serve to host community events.

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INFORMATION:

Erin Filliter
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of National Revenue,
Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities
Agency, and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway
613-941-7241

Frank Carroll
Mayor of McAdam 
Treasurer, McAdam Historical Restoration Commission Board 
of Directors
506-784-2293

Stéphanie Bilodeau
Senior Communications Officer 
ACOA NB	
506-452-3034

Bruce MacFarlane
Regional Development Corporation
506-444-4606