Last week was the Jamestown Paranormal annual meeting and it was held in the west wing of the train station.
Part of the event was to support the work to cure cancer. I asked them for a short report on the event. First of all, they raised $2,100 to support the work being done to cure cancer. I asked them how many attended and they told me over 1,100 people. This would show you people are really interested in this subject.
The second item I would like to let you know about is another new business downtown will be hosting a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. Tuesday. The Jamestown Gazette is inviting everyone to their ribbon cutting and a tour of their new office. The office is located at 215 Spring St., right across the street from the Jamestown Fire Dept. Station 1 in City Hall. Let's all make this new business feel welcome to downtown Jamestown.
And now, the time has finally arrived for the ribbon cutting and grand opening of the newly renovated Erie Lackawanna Train Station on West Second Street in downtown Jamestown. This Friday morning at 10:30 there will be whistles blowing as local, state and federal dignitaries cut the ribbon on our great train station. And yes, I can tell you it will not be postponed again!
The Western New York and Pennsylvania railroad will be providing an actual train and engines that will arrive track side at 10:30 a.m. Dignitaries will depart the train and proceed to the newly renovated station arriving at the front of the station for a ceremony honoring the finish of the extensive restoration project of our local Gateway Station.
Many of us, as well as our elected officials, have taken a very personal interest in this project. As I understand it, the train station was part of a plan for west side development for Jamestown that was completed many years ago. This may very well be a final piece to the dream of developing the west side of Jamestown.
We have some really special plans for this event. In additions to the powerful engines provided by the Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad, we will have special cars that will be pulled into our Jamestown station by a Baldwin 040, Saddletank 040 steam engine - there will be smoke and noise and everyone will know there is something special happening. U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, and U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins, D-South Buffalo, will be on hand as they have worked hand in hand with Jamestown to complete this project. There will be others on hand who have had an integral part of the renovation process for the train station. This station will be a destination in its own right - people will travel to Jamestown just to see the station - along with all the other great assets we have.
I have to tell you that Mark Schlemmer, Lou Golando and the contractors have all been working to make sure the newly renovated station looks just great for the ribbon cutting. From a personal standpoint, and I am sure everyone who has worked on the station feels the same thing, there is a really deep feeling of accomplishing something that appeared to be undoable. Working in the station itself leaves you feeling a whole different thing when you leave. I have to also add this has been a labor of love for many, many people in Jamestown. As Mayor Teresi said at a recent event - "This is team Jamestown at work."