By Andrew Macdonald
Currently the scene of a major renovation project, VIA Rail calls its construction project at the historic station in Halifax’s Southend a “rejuvenation”.
The federal government signed off on the work under the Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act.
The scope of the work is to make repairs and refinish the building’s main stone facade. In addition, there will be a reduction of the parapet height of the building on the eastern, southern and northern edges of the roof. A parapet is defined as a low protective wall along the edge of a roof, bridge, or balcony.
The work also will see a replacement of roof systems on the northern and western portions of the station’s roof; replacement of the eastern, northern and southern cladding at the penthouse elevation; and a restoration of the south brick wall (covered by cladding), according to VIA Rail documents.
The Halifax VIA Rail station was built in 1928-1930. (Contributed).
The exterior lighting will also be replaced on the main building facade, and a “heritage-type clock” on the main facade will be reinstalled.
Federal government documents say the work must be completed in accordance with recommendations in the Review of Alterations Reports prepared by the Cultural Heritage Policies Branch of the Parks Canada Agency.
The documents “recognize the importance of this station”, designated a heritage railway station for the purposes of the Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act, for the reasons set out in the Heritage Character Statement prepared by the Parks Canada Agency for the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
The website HistoricPlaces.ca says the VIA Rail station was built in 1928-30 for Canadian National Railways and is a Beaux-Arts-style railway station.
VIA Rail train in Halifax. (Contributed).
The station is attached to the Westin Nova Scotian Hotel on Hollis Street.
“The large size, monumental design and prominent location of the VIA Rail…at Halifax illustrate the emphasis placed on rail passenger service by the Canadian National Railways during the late 1920s. It is one of the few remaining examples of a combined railway station-and-hotel complex, a once common arrangement that reflected the emphasis placed by rail companies on providing hospitality as well as transportation services,” states the HistoricPlaces website.
“The construction of the Halifax station and hotel complex was seen as an indication that the city was bouncing back from a post-war slump.
“The Halifax station illustrates the basic tenets of the Beaux-Arts style: symmetry, monumentality and classically inspired detailing. Its late Beaux-Arts design is evident in its classical detailing, the sober choice of materials, and the restrained use of ornamentation. The original configuration and functional arrangement of the main public spaces have been maintained, and some original detailing and material remain in the lobby, concourse and waiting room.”
Pictures of the Halifax VIA Rail station. (Contributed).
VIA Rail says on its website that it has invested $6M since 2018 in renovation projects at the Halifax station. “The Modernization of Halifax Station: At the Halifax station, construction projects to the tune of $6 million have been underway since 2018 to turn this historic station into a hub while preserving its Heritage designation.”
