Bassano Station and the old School Playground

photo courtesy of the Rocky View Weekly

The Bassano Station fiasco appears to be waning!  

It looks like the railway museum group which started the project is less than active at this point in time.  But other parties with a vested interest in completing the project are stepping up to the plate! 

If all goes well, the building will be moved onto its foundation within the next few weeks.  After that has happened, the building will be made more presentable, secure, and weatherproof until more funding is obtained.

When the plan was presented to me I thought back to our very own Beiseker CPR station, now our Village Office and Museum, and its history.  The Village was given the station by the CPR on the condition that we move it from the track right-of-way.  We built a foundation, turned the building around, placed it on the foundation and made it more presentable, secure and weatherproof until more funding could be found.  It sat on its new foundation, its windows boarded up and painted white, waiting for quite a while! 

The necessary money was found (partly through the efforts of the original theatre group called Stage East) and the building was restored to as you see it today.  I hope the Bassano Station will see a similar future.

The old School Playground will become village property in the next few days.  The village is making plans to have it dismantled and removed from the school yard. 

Initial examination shows that most of the structure is in excellent condition, but wood portions will have to be replaced.  The parts of the stucture will be taken down to our public works yard where it will be cleaned and repaired. 

Council is asking for suggestions on where this piece of equipment might be re-installed.  If you have any suggestions, make them to the Beiseker Village Office (403-947-3774) or here to me, through email or by using the Contact Form on the right side. 

We are looking for volunteers to help disassemble and relocate the structure.  If you can help us here, let Councillor Warren Wise know through the Village office.