On Saturday Feb. 26, the CNR train station in Fort Langley celebrated Heritage Week with a one-day open house that featured the first in-person display of winning entries from a 40th anniversary photo contest, held by the Langley Heritage Society, the operator of the site, back in 2020.
Station manager Helen Williams said the pandemic forced the postponement.
“This was just prior to COVID,” Williams told the Langley Advance Times.
“We were closed for two years.”
Winners were Lou Fasullo, for his nighttime image of Glover Road heritage buildings in Fort Langley, Verona Jungling for her portrait of historical re-enactor Hazel at the Fort Langley National Historic Site, and Maureen Rose for her picture of Tavistock Point. An honourable mention went to the Jackson Family for their “then and now” image that blended past and present images of the train station.
A full gallery of the photos can be viewed online at the Langley Heritage Society website. under “Photo Contest Winners.”
On Saturday, visitors could see the photos on display in the CNR passenger car. In the attached caboose, the miniature train diorama was sporting a new background mural, painted by local artist Lyle Longstaffe.
The Fort Langley train station was built in 1915 by Canadian Northern, two blocks west of its current location on Mavis Avenue at Glover Road.
It is one of the few remaining stations like it in western Canada, and the only surviving station from that era in the Langley area.
Now a heritage site, visitors to the station can see examples of life at the station in the early 1900s and the importance of station agents in the community.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Historic Fort Langley train station will once again open to visitors
Langley Heritage Society was formed in 1979 by a group of community-minded individuals whose mission is to preserve and foster conservation of Langley’s heritage resources for present and future generations.
Williams said volunteers are needed to help keep the station open this year.
“We’re particularly looking for train modellers who can operate and program HO model railway [cars],” Williams said.
Those interested can contact the society online at www.langleyheritage.ca/contact-us/, email info@langleyheritage.ca, or phone 604-513-8787.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Small-scale railway history at heritage CN Station in Fort Langley
More images from the day can be veiwed at the Langley Advance Times Facebook page.
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