Via Rail and the federal government announced plans Monday to give Pacific Central Station a needed facelift.
Via Rail will spent $5.1 million to improve the station’s masonry, roof and windows in 2011, with much of the project funding coming from the federal government’s economic stimulus plan.
Via has yet to put out a tender for the project, but said it plans to award the contract by the end of the year. That will give the project a relatively tight deadline, as the federal government has repeatedly said all projects funded with stimulus money must be completed by March 2011.
Via said designs and specifications have already been submitted to Parks Canada for review to ensure the renovations preserve the features that mark the station as a heritage site.
This latest upgrade follows one in 2009, where Via completed improvements to the platform canopy, lighting and repairs to the station’s columns from funding announced in 2007.
An upgraded station would improve the experience for passengers arriving on the two Amtrak trains that run between Vancouver, Seattle and Portland.
In mid-October, the federal government announced it would pick up the estimated $1,500 in daily customs-related costs associated with the second Amtrak train, which was added to the Pacific Northwest route in the lead up to the Olympics (See “Feds keeping second Amtrak train rolling" – October 15, BIV Business Today).
Ridership on the Amtrak Cascades has continued to grow with the second train, providing a substantial boost to tourism in Vancouver (See “Train ridership between Vancouver and Seattle exceeding expectations" – August 20, BIV Business Today).