Train Dreams - Converting the Uxbridge Train Station into a Cafe
Sitting empty in downtown Uxbridge (Ontario) is a historic train station. After years of use, it now remains just an image of the past, a time when trains did come out to Uxbridge and when public buildings, even relatively minor rail stops, were built with thoughtful design.
I've spent my life visiting my family in Uxbridge, always stopping at the train station when I'm in town to admire the old trains littered around and the architecture of the building (it looks like an old witch's hat!). Recently, the town has cleaned up the lot, removing the old trains (which pained me) after the last tenant of the site, a heritage railway group, went under and stopped using the station.
After spending this last summer living in Uxbridge and chatting with other locals, I've come to think that a cafe would be an ideal fit for this space now. Here are my thoughts on why:
Uxbridge needs more spaces to congregate. Vibrant towns have spaces in all seasons for their residents to meet and enjoy a "third place" that isn't their home or work. Cafes, bars, libraries, sports centres, and community centres all provide this "third place" purpose, being spaces where folks can congregate! Think of these spaces of where people host public talks and book launches, perform live music and host trivia nights, or meet up together after hiking, walking, or running (perhaps in a run club!). Cafes are also places that act as local message boards, with posters for local events always filling their doors and walls, and are spaces of collective activism, allowing people a place to meet to run their non-profits and local organizations.
Uxbridge lacks local coffee shops. For a town of its size, Uxbridge doesn't have many local coffee/cafe options. While some restaurants downtown serve coffee, there are only two actual cafes: the Bridge Social (connected to Blue Heron Books) and Red Bulb Espresso, which is a Stouffville-based cafe that recently opened up a small (yet lovely) cafe inside Boyd's Sports, a sports store downtown. If you go to this Red Bulb Espresso spot some mornings, you will see a lineup out the door, showing the need and demand for good coffee. A quick thought would be to see if Red Bulb would be willing to move into the train station, as this would allow them more space to grow while also ensuring that this new cafe already has regular customers!
Uxbridge lacks spaces to study and work remotely. In a world of remote work, Uxbridge sadly doesn't give you many options to set up your laptop and work outside your home for a few hours (go to any street in Toronto and you will see cafes filled with laptops). The same could be said for our students, whether in high school or studying through Durham College/Ontario Tech, they don't have many options for a place to study aside from the library (which is tiny) or Starbucks. Speaking of Starbucks, which is just outside of downtown, if you go during the day or in evenings, you will find it packed with people on their laptops, showing again the need for this type of space. We should be finding a way to get those students and remote workers into a local cafe (rather than an American chain), as well as encourage them to come downtown (rather than hanging out in the box-store area).
A beautiful cafe downtown can encourage tourism. People are willing to travel far to enjoy beautiful architecture and a nice cafe. While I think the primary goal of the cafe should be for local use, I do think it could help stimulate more tourism in Uxbridge. For example, visit Uxbridge on any weekend morning and you will see tons of cyclists going to cafes, such as Annina's Bakeshop & Catering in Goodwood. Cyclists need a destination to ride to, and these usually need a large patio and room for their bikes (sometimes 20+ of them). This can pose issues on smaller sidewalks, with bikes blocking the right of way, which is why the train station would be ideal for this, given its large space outside. (As a note, road cyclists normally don't carry bike locks with them, as this saves them weight, so this is why they must hang outside near their bikes).
A cafe in the train station would improve public transit. Right now, if you want to get out of Uxbridge by public transit, you must wait at the bus stop next to the train station. As someone who has done this, it's pretty boring and can feel eerie at night (and good luck if you need to use the washroom!). Having a cafe in the train station could allow for new washrooms in the building, as well as a space to wait for the bus (or to be picked up by family) in the colder months. If we want to support our community's use of public transit, we need to improve the user experience of public transit.
Converting a station to a cafe isn't new! This type of renovation has already been done many, many times! Recently I was in Montreal and I was visiting friends in the suburban community of Beaconsfield. There, in their operating commuter train station, they have created a cafe! La Station Café is remarkably beautiful and makes the train station a destination in itself (rather than a mode to reach your destination). When I spoke to the cafe owners, they said the station had been relatively empty for years, so they wanted to find a way to activate the space. I was blown away by how natural it felt in the heritage railway station. In addition, much closer to home, are the recent renovations of the Stouffville train station to allow for a restaurant inside.
Finally, this aligns with visions of the Township! The idea of making this space into a "tea room" was discussed by the Township back in 2007, with a local restaurateur proposing to do this. Since then, the Township has moved forward with its Downtown Revitalization Plan, which includes plans to revitalize this "Heritage Railway District" and make it more connected with downtown. Having a cafe there could totally help achieve the Township's mission! Plus, in a survey for in their revitalization plan, adding more cafes to the area was rated "high" by local residents (see page 19).
So, what's stopping this?
The biggest hurdles, in my opinion, are the upgrades needed to the train station to make it usable year-round, as well as to allow a proper cafe to operate there. I think the building (which is owned by the Township, not Metrolinx) will need to be re-insulated, as well as have its plumbing upgraded to allow for more bathrooms and perhaps a commercial kitchen. I think these could be seen as investments made by the Township, which would then be earned back through potential rent over the years. In addition, the Township could see these as a tourism investment, as if people come to visit the cafe they will likely hang around downtown and visit the brewery, bookshop, and other spaces, as well as just general community investments (like installing a water fountain or repaving a sidewalk).
Thanks for reading!
Learn about the history of the railway and train station here
Read the Downtown Revitalization Strategic Plan & Action Plan here
Photo above shows the La Station Café in Beaconsfield, Quebec, which could be motivation for Uxbridge.
**Another photo of La Station Café in Beaconsfield, Quebec.