A self-professed Newfoundland railway buff who has led the charge on preserving the iconic Trinity Loop has switched gears and is focusing his attention on the Railway Coastal Museum.
St. John’s Mayor Danny Breen last week indicated that the museum, located in the old railway station on Water Street West, is closing its doors permanently.
A lot of the artifacts held at the museum were carried down from the former Transport Museum in Pippy Park and many more were donated from private citizens and members of the CN Pensioners.
That’s prompted reaction from JP Coady who wants to see the province’s railway heritage preserved.
He’s shocked the decision has been made with no public consultation.
He says a lot of effort and private money went into the museum.
Coady was engaged in a debate with Councillor Maggie Burton on Twitter yesterday on the topic during which the two failed to meet eye-to-eye.
An online petition to save the Railway Coastal Museum has already been launched with nearly two thousand signatures gathered to-date.
So @CityofStJohns plans to railway museum into office space. I’m actually stomach sick. They need the ground floor for offices too? I’m unreal. This council is completely disconnected from its people. SHAME pic.twitter.com/zU744ktxxb
— SAVE ST. JOHN’S RAILWAY COASTAL MUSEUM (@RAILROADEDNFLD) November 30, 2020
