This year marks the 130th anniversary of the Barry’s Bay train station and Joanne Olsen, chair of the Madawaska Valley Station Keepers says there is a big celebration in the works.
“The businesses have contributed with prizes for the raffle and proceeds will go to the food bank. The Barry’s Bay Recreation Committee will be there, our local author [New York Times bestseller] Carly Fortune will be there to sign books for folks. We have a bouncy castle, face painting and live entertainment”.
Olsen went on to say that they hope everyone will come out, bring a lawn chair and enjoy the festivities and free hot dogs.
She added that the Station Keepers are looking forward to unveiling something they’ve been hard at work on.
“We will be unveiling a 50 foot, seven car wooden train structure for children to play on. We’re very, very excited about this.”
Olsen also shared some of the Barry’s Bay train’s history, first brought in by J.R. booth for logging in the area.
“We think that probably 130 years ago there was tremendous amount of excitement in the community about the arrival of the train and we were trying to create that same sort of atmosphere and get the entire community involved.”
The celebration kicks off Saturday August 31 at 3 p.m.
In the case of rain festivities will be indoors at the Paul J. Yakabuskie Community Centre.
