Groups that are advocating for the revival of the E&N Railway line have agreed to form a new umbrella organization after a meeting in Duncan.

Called the E&N Railway Roundtable, the participants at the meeting, said to be the largest independent meeting of representative railway organizations ever held on Vancouver Island, committed to co-ordinate efforts throughout the Island to help preserve and revive the deteriorating rail line for both trains and trails.

The group represents both the advocates of the trail systems along the railway corridor and the railway itself.

B次元官网网址淥ne of the big themes ... was to see how the transportation planners and supporters can work with those who want to convert the E&N railway on the Island into a multi-use recreational trail only,B次元官网网址� said Glenn Migneault, co-ordinator of ParksvilleB次元官网网址檚 East End Track Gang which has been working on reviving the railway at Coombs. B次元官网网址淲e hope other municipal and regional district representatives will eventually join the ENRR as well.B次元官网网址�

Passenger train service on the E&N Railway line was stopped in 2011 due to track safety concerns, and freight service has also been discontinued between Duncan and Parksville.

The federal and provincial governments have committed $7.5 million each, on top of the funding from local governments, to fix the railway line.

But the Island Corridor Foundation, which owns the rail line, and Southern Railway, which runs the rail operations, have been facing delays from the senior levels of government as to when they plan to release the funding theyB次元官网网址檝e promised.

The Cowichan ValleyB次元官网网址檚 Jack Peake, the former chairman of the ICF and now the chairman of the ENRR, said be believes the expanded body representing both trail and rail advocates will help the process along.

B次元官网网址淭his is an opportunity to take advantage of the rail assets we have that are currently being wasted,B次元官网网址� Peake said.

B次元官网网址淭he trail systems are a key component to the railway lineB次元官网网址檚 revival and we are not opposed to them.B次元官网网址�

Peake said heB次元官网网址檚 also optimistic there may be a new impetus to kick-starting the process with a new NDP government in power.

B次元官网网址淢embers of the new government have said they support the E&N Railway and are interested in working with us,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e waiting for the government to officially take over after the Throne Speech and then we plan to meet with them. WeB次元官网网址檝e also talked to Graham Bruce (the current chairman of the ICF) and he also agreed we should all work together.B次元官网网址�

Peake said a lot of research has been done as to what is required to revive the railway line, and heB次元官网网址檚 meeting with representatives from a railway management company next week to nail down some of the anticipated costs.

editor@goldstraemgazette.com