Minnedosa Manitoba - CP Rail's asking price for its historic train station in Minnedosa is too rich for the heritage committee that wants to preserve the 105-year-old building.
 
After years of negotiations, the two sides twice reached verbal agreements only to have CP Rail change its mind, says the heritage group, the national railway is now asking a purchase price of $30,000 and a five-year lease at $1,800 annually.
 
"We don't have that kind of capital. Plus, we have to fix up the building, and who knows how many more thousands that would cost," said Bryan Pollon, spokesman for the Minnedosa Heritage Committee, which reached its decision Friday afternoon.
 
The heritage group thought it had an agreement earlier with CP Rail and did some restoration work totalling $60,000 to $70,000 in materials, and $25,000 in volunteer labour, Pollon said.
 
The last deal the committee thought it had with CP Rail was to purchase the building for $1 and issue CP Rail a charitable tax receipt in lieu of property taxes.
 
That's similar to the deal CN Rail made with a group in Neepawa for its station there.
 
Pollon has not yet contacted the railway.
 
CP Rail gave the group a week to respond, as of 8 Feb 2014.

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