Canadian Pacific Railway Station - Nelson, BC
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T0SHEA
N 49° 29.361 W 117° 18.104
11U E 478147 N 5481900
Built in 1900, Nelson's CPR station was designated a Historic Railway Station on April 6th, 1992 by Parks Canada. It is located at 90 Baker Street, on the west end of downtown Nelson.
Waymark Code: WMHB8J
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 06/18/2013
Views: 3
Completed in 1900, in 1910 it was doubled in size to house the headquarters of the B.C. Lake and River Service, as well as railroad operations. The addition made this a large station, reflecting Nelson's status at that time as a major shipping and transportation hub for the Kootenay region.
The CPR tracks arrived in Nelson in 1891 and in that year the first station was built, at this location. When, in the late 1890s, Nelson was designated the Kootenay Region Headquarters for the CPR, this station was built to house increased office space and to provide better freight and passenger handling capabilities. Ostensibly, it was opened January 1st, 1900.
In the mid 1950s, the paddlewheelers having become obsolete, the B.C. Lake and River Service was dissolved by the CPR, leaving that half of the building empty. In 1987, with a restructuring of CPR divisional boundaries, the divisional headquarters were moved to Cranbrook, leaving the building empty. Fortunately, it was not many years later that it was designated a Historic Railway Station, this taking place in 1992.
At present the station is undergoing a complete renovation and looks it. Most of its exterior finish has been removed and the entire structure is presently inaccessible to the public. When renovations are complete, the station will become home to the Nelson Chamber of Commerce and the Nelson Visitor Centre, as well as Kootenay Tourism and various businesses.
Scheduled completion date is in 2014, and when it reopens we will provide photos of the newly renovated building.