SYDNEY, N.S. —
A Cape Breton Regional Municipality councillor wants to get the rehabilitation of the former Sydney train station back on track.
Eldon MacDonald, whose district includes the downtown core of the municipality’s largest community, referred to the Dodd Street building as “a disgrace and embarrassment" during a municipal council meeting Tuesday.
“This has been a long-standing issue and anybody that has driven by the train station lately will see the deplorable condition and state that it’s in. I have been dealing this issue since I was elected eight years ago and it goes back further than that,” said MacDonald.
“I want to see this building demolished. I know we have a limited budget when it comes to demolition but at some point in time this building must be dealt with.”
MacDonald is well aware of the station’s historical significance. He knows that generations of Cape Breton residents used the facility when either arriving or leaving the island. But he also understands the reality of a dangerous and unsightly premises.
The Cape Breton Post checked out the building on Wednesday and discovered it has fallen into even worse disrepair than in May 2018 when this newspaper ran a story on the 18,840 square-foot structure that sits on a 2.2-acre parcel of land adjacent to the now unused railway tracks. Most of the windows are covered with boards and its exterior is marked with graffiti. More disturbing is that the building’s dark and cavernous interior can easily be accessed.
As such, MacDonald brought the issue before municipal council on Tuesday, just hours after council’s appeals standing committee met to discuss the latest batch of dangerous and unsightly properties that have been issued with notices of intent to demolish.
The old Sydney train station was not on that list. It’s too expensive to tear down.
Two years ago, Paul Burt, manager of the CBRM’s building, planning and licensing department, told the Post the municipality simply could not afford to raze the derelict structure which would likely happen only after the completion of a full hazardous materials assessment and subsequent environmental remediation.
Burt was unable to attend Tuesday’s virtual council meeting but planning director Michael Ruus reiterated the manager’s position of two years ago.
“With our current budget we are not in a position to take on a project of this size, so unless council wants to allocate additional funds we are probably not in a position where we can proceed with the demolition of a property of that size,” said Ruus, adding that the CBRM demolition policy is based on a “worst-first” scenario.
Word then surfaced of a rumour that real estate developer Patrick Donovan, who owns the building through his company 3046975 Nova Scotia Ltd., was working on a deal to sell the property with the paperwork set to be finalized in August.
MacDonald said he was pleased to hear of a potential sale but pressed the matter further as he asked staff to research and prepare an issue paper on the matter.
“I need concrete evidence that we have a purchase and sale and it’s factual and actual and that it needs to go ahead,” said the clearly frustrated councillor.
“I would welcome a new owner, a new developer – there would be nothing better to develop something new on that property but given the current state it is in it must be dealt with.”
Other councillors shared MacDonald’s opinion that something must be done about the dilapidated structure that was once bustling with activity and was the scene of countless hugs, kisses, greetings and farewells.
Both councillors Steve Gillespie of District 4 and Jim MacLeod of District 12 said the building has been troublesome, with MacLeod adding that it's not safe.
Although Dist. 8 Coun. Amanda McDougall said the cost of a demolition is a major impediment.
“We must keep in mind that there is a big list and only a limited budget," she said.
Dist. 10 Coun. Darren Bruckschwaiger noted that if people are getting into that property, "we have a responsibility to close it off.”
The former train station building was constructed in 1971 and served as the eastern terminus for VIA Rail passenger service until the Sydney-Truro route was axed in 1990 after the federal government deemed it too inefficient to operate.
Canada Post moved its operations from its old Dorchester Street site for a time before settling on its present Charlotte Street location. Other businesses, including a gym, briefly used the building before it was vacated and fell into disrepair.
