The Marina Way Park will not be the final destination for a train's caboose. Penticton council will instead consider a train's flat car for park exhibition.
Image Credit: City of Penticton
October 22, 2013 - 9:20 AM
CITY WILL EXAMINE COSTS OF FLAT CAR FOR MARINA PARK
PENTICTON - The Marina Way Park will not be the end of the line for lonely cabooses.
The waterfront enhancement committee was considering a train's caboose, wherever one can be found, being brought to the park on Okanagan Lake but costs and availability were an issue. The caboose, once a North American icon, would have been a reminder of the city's railway history and would have been an addition to the water conservation demonstration garden, walking trail, beach and picnic area at the marina park.
City staff will instead look at the cost of getting a train's flat car but Coun. John Vassilaki said at Monday's council meeting people want to see a locomotive engine or a caboose.
"We got to have something in place that has meaning and not just a flat deck."
He said a caboose would attract more attention and invite people to explore it.
Coun. Wesley Hopkin said the city's heritage committee already nixed the idea of a caboose. The one caboose they found had been cut from the train car it was attached to and is now "a yellow, rusting shell." It would not be the red and brown wooden cabooses seen at tourist attractions.
Hopkin said a flat car will be more manageable, be a look-out area people can climb onto and have added railings for safety.
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