The long awaited CN Roundhouse still needs some finishing touches but the West Coast Railway Heritage Park is already booking weddings and Christmas parties for Squamish's largest conference centre.
The 21,000 sq. ft. venue, which can accommodate up to 12,000 people with theatre-style seating or up to 800 people in a banquet setting, is set to host a grand opening late spring or early summer after having started construction more than two years ago.
According to West Coast Railway Association (WRCA) treasurer Jim Brown, the final $500,000 required to complete construction of the $8-million building is in the process of being secured. The turntable and remaining interior work should be completed by spring.
Although the horseshoe shaped building will provide a safe exhibit space for vintage railway cars, it will also become a destination for all kinds of festivities, said WCRA vice-president Susan Steen.
"We're excited about finally showcasing it to the world. It certainly has a lot of potential in terms of fitting in a lot of needs," she said.
The centre has seven sets of tracks to display the park's crown jewels, including two new additions that were used in the 1930s and 40s to transport Canadian troops before shipping out overseas.
The Roundhouse provides a level of preservation that has been missing at the park, said Steen. Geothermal heating not only provides green energy, it also maintains consistent temperature, which is integral for preserving old cars.
"Whatever we can bring in here and keep it as constant as possible works to our advantage. And it just preserves what our whole mission is, which is to preserve what we don't see anymore," said Steen.
When the turntable is completed in the next couple months, it will direct cars from the PGE Carshop building and through large maple doors to the Roundhouse. With the red brick exterior and modern interior, the maple doors help blend the old and new.
"The doors are what tie, I think, the heritage part of the Roundhouse of old. And they're the transitional material to bring it from the outside to the inside," said Steen.
The WCRA expects the Roundhouse to increase overall visitation to the park to 75,000 people annually in a couple of years, according to president Don Evans. The venue will have a full kitchen for caterers and two smaller levels, including a balcony, above the main exhibit space to accommodate smaller gatherings. There will also be space designated for art and history exhibitions, said Steen.
"We'll make it an interesting gallery for people to come in. Let's face it, not everybody is interested in trains."
The WCRA decided it was premature to open the Roundhouse for its Canada Club party event over the Olympics. According to Steen, the PGE Carshop experienced "light" attendance of between 300 and 400 people over two weeks.
