Description of Historic Place

The Canadian National Railways Station is a Municipal Heritage Property located on a large urban lot adjacent to the railroad right-of-way in the Village of Edam. The property features a two-storey, wood-frame railway station built in 1912.

Heritage Value

The Canadian National Railways Station is valued for its architecture, which is typical of many stations built on the prairies by the Canadian Northern Railway. Constructed in 1912 using Canadian Northern Railway standardized Plan 100-29, this third class railway station was designed to handle passengers and freight service in a small community. The main floor provided space for a waiting room, an office with a ticket wicket, and freight storage. The second floor provided quarters for the station agent. Variations on this simple design were used throughout the prairies and their simple form defined train stations in western Canada built before the Second World War.

The Canadian National Railways Station is also valued for its association with Edam's development. The station was one of the first buildings constructed after the village was incorporated. The station became a regional transportation hub before highway transportation gained ascendancy during the 1950s. The Railway sold the building to the community in 1982 and it has since been used by several service clubs. The building, still on its original location, remains a landmark in the community.

Source:

Village of Edam Bylaw No. 5-8.1

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the Canadian National Railways Station lies in the following character-defining elements:
-those elements reflecting its Canadian Northern Railway Station architecture, such as the roofline, stucco exterior, window and door openings, track-side platform, the signaling equipment and ticket wicket;
-those elements reflecting the building’s association with the community, such as the building’s orientation on its original lot.