Historic Interurban Tram Will Stay in Steveston
25 May 2006
The City of Richmond announced today it has secured full ownership of historic Interurban Tram #1220. The tram will be moved to the Britannia Shipyard National Historic Site, where it will be restored and readied for permanent static display.
The popular Interurban Trams provided commuter train service between Vancouver and various neighbouring communities, including Steveston, through the first half of the 20th century. Passengers relied on the Interurban Trams for transportation to work, social and sporting activities such as lacrosse and the horse racing tracks at Minoru and Lansdowne. The service was discontinued in the late 1950s due to an aging fleet and competition from buses and private automobiles.
 Photo courtesy Richmond Archives |
Tram #1220 is one of only seven remaining Interurban cars. The Tram was recovered from a Richmond warehouse in the early 1990s. Since then the City of Richmond has been supporting a restoration effort, while developing a plan for a permanent home and function for the tram. Over the years, a number of options have been considered by Council, but progress had been slowed by a variety of issues, including |
“The Interurban era is a beloved memory from Richmond’s past,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “Today’s announcement assures we will have a living, ongoing tribute to that era as part of our rich treasure of local heritage sites and artefacts.”
First step in the transfer process will be to lay 120 feet of track for the Tram at Britannia Shipyard. The track materials for the tram and installation costs have been donated by A & B Rail, which recently completed removal of the tracks from the former CPR corridor near the Richmond Oval site.
A new temporary Car Barn for the Tram will be constructed at Britannia, which is expected to take four to six months to complete. Once the track is laid and the car barn is built, the tram can move to its new home from its current location in Steveston Park. Funding for this project will come from reserve funds previously earmarked by Council for Tram restoration and exhibition.
The City will be moving to develop a volunteer program to complete work on the restoration, in order to allow the tram to be displayed as part of a static exhibit. Options for the long-term static display of the tram will be developed during this period. In the interim, the tram will be displayed at special events and other occasions once it is relocated to Britannia.
