Historic Humboldt CN railway station could be demolished after decades of vacancy

For generations, Humboldt’s Canadian Northern Railway (CN) station stood as the community’s front door, welcoming passengers and helping shape the city’s growth.

Now, after sitting vacant for nearly two decades, the heritage landmark could soon be demolished.

“This decision hasn’t been taken lightly by the community,” said Humboldt mayor Rob Muench. “It’s one of those things where we actually wrote to CN this year, asking if it could be demolished because it’s become a safety issue in the community.”

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Muench said the station – built in 1905 as a passenger station that became a key stop on the main line connecting Winnipeg and Edmonton – has been vacant since the 1980s, after CN built a new facility, years ago. Over time, the building has deteriorated, leaving city council to conclude that restoration is no longer practical.

“It’s become a safety hazard and it’s just not a good thing,” he said. “If you drive by, it’s an eyesore. It’s falling down. It’s fenced up. We’ve had people breach the perimeter fencing and get inside.”

Muench said the building has been damaged by water and infested with rodents.

The decision to take down the building has sparked conversations throughout the community, Muench said, with many residents acknowledging the station’s historic significance while recognizing the challenges of saving it.

The Humboldt Railway Station was built in 1905 and is a heritage landmark. (Humboldt Museum/submitted)

“Most people would like to see it stay, but they’re not willing to pay their tax dollars to do it,” he explained.

According to Muench, the city explored whether the building could be repurposed when CN first offered it. He added they considered and explored every option before coming to a final decision.

“We had our museum board look at it and couldn’t really find a purpose for it,” he said. “We also put it out there to the private sector to see if anyone wanted to repurpose it as (an) office space, a restaurant or a gift shop, and we didn’t really have any takers.”

Despite its possible demolition, Muench said the station’s role in Humboldt’s history isn’t being forgotten.

“The railroad has been a big part of our city. You had the railway come through town, and that’s what brought most of the commerce and people into the community over the years,” he said. “It played an integral part of our growing from a village to a city as we are today.”

While freight trains still pass through the city daily, Muench explained the station itself has long outlived its original purpose.

“Unfortunately, it’s been left to deteriorate beyond repair, in my opinion,” he said.

Because the building has heritage designation, Muench said CN must complete a federal process before demolition can proceed. This includes a 60-day public notice period, giving anyone who wishes to preserve the station an opportunity to come forward.

“If there’s a group out there that wants to save it, that’s their right to do that,” he said. “They have 60 days to notify the federal government.”

Muench said the station had a passenger service line that came through and that it played an integral role in growing Humboldt from a village to a city. (Humboldt Museum/submitted)

Although the building may disappear, Muench hopes its history will remain part of the community.

“I’m hoping we’ll be able to get some artifacts from it before they do tear it down,” he said. “I’m sure they’ll find a way to preserve the memory of the station as it was in our history.”

For Muench, the station’s story reflects the difficult decisions many small communities face as aging heritage buildings become increasingly expensive to restore.

“We’re sad to see it go,” he said. “But unfortunately, times change, things move on. Sometimes we have to pick our battles.”