Newspaper Article 1995 – Railway renovations start

Railway station renovations start

The official opening of the project to renovate the Waipukurau Railway Station took place on Monday, August 7.

Three speakers were invited to the opening, Donna Poole chair of the Railway Station Restoration Committee, who wished the members of the Conservation Corps who are doing the work the very best, Central Hawke’s Bay District councillor Jim Shand who said he thought those involved had jumped in at the deep end, as he has just started renovating a house, and YMCA executive director Dennis Oliver.

Mr Oliver said it was an exciting project for the YMCA to be involved with, but they were responding to community needs.

He said the station had been an “eyesore for a long time, but it does have a history and when finished will play a pivotal role in the town.”

The station is to become a community centre and Mr Oliver said that although there is a lot of work to be done he can see it becoming a hive of activity.

The rear section of the station was demolished with much of the timber being pre-sold for recycled furniture.

Much of it was rimu, totara and matai and did not have any borer.

Photo caption – Pictured at the opening of work on the Waipukurau railway station, from left councillor Jim Shand, Donna Poole, chair of the station’s restoration committee, and Dennis Oliver YMCA executive director.