People in a northern Ontario community lobby to save a shuttered train station from demolition

A group of people in the community of Black River-Matheson, east of Timmins, is fighting to save the historic train station in their town, but the clock is ticking fast.

Ontario Northland owns the building and says due to safety and structural concerns, it has to come down.

Mayor Dave Dyment says company executives told him it will take $2 million to bring the century-old building up to code, so the railway firm plans to demolish it within three weeks.

A spokesperson for Ontario Northland says a modern transit shelter featuring seating, lighting and heating will replace it.

Nine other locations along the rail corridor from Toronto to Cochrane will get similar shelters.

Dyment says his father worked for Ontario Northland for 40 years, and he's travelled to various stations across the north.

While he says he never wants to see old buildings torn down, he's not sure what could be done in this case, adding he's also just glad there will be a stop and some kind of shelter in Black River-Matheson.

"The Northlander is going to be coming through four times a week," he said.

"I'm celebrating the fact that we actually have a train stop," he said.

He also said there's no need for cargo storage or an attendant to be at the station.

However, some citizens who had believed the station would be re-opened, are scrambling to try to save it from the wrecking ball.

They learned of the demolition in a notice from Ontario Northland to a neighbour of the station just prior to the holidays.

In response, Barb Cornthwaite helped found a group called 'Friends of the Matheson train station.'

She's distressed that a part of the town's history will disappear.