Renfrew, Ont.'s caboose refurbished after 2-year project

It's a symbol of the town of Renfrew. Sitting at the town's entrance just off of Highway 17, the big yellow CP caboose has been brought back to life.

For the past two years, a volunteer group named 'Friends of the Caboose' have been working to strip the old rail car of its decaying lead paint and give it a fresh look.

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The completion of that project was celebrated Saturday in Renfrew at Haramis Park.

"It kind of looked really bad for a while," said Sandi Heins, former town councillor and member of the Friends of the Caboose group. "It was very rusty, and then it was very gray, and it had a tent over it. And then it got painted this lovely yellow."

Former Renfrew mayor Howie Haramis brought the CP Rail caboose to the town's visitor centre in 1994.

Haramis's daughters were on hand Saturday to see part of their father's legacy brought back to life.

"Dad was big on keeping the history of the town alive, and bringing tourism and industry into Renfrew was his main stake," said Jane Haramis-Nikolic.

At one point, many railroads ran through Renfrew, transporting people as well as lumber. That's one of the reasons volunteer Art Jamieson felt the caboose needed to live on.

"We had three train tracks come through Renfrew," says Jamieson.

"It was at the beginning of the CPR (Canadian Pacific Railway), the CNR (Canadian National Railway), and of course the K&P (Kingston and Pembroke Railway)."

"This is the only reminder of the past. So that's why we all thought it was very important and the people are responding to it as well."

Initial estimates to revitalize the caboose pegged the project too expensive and dangerous due to the removal of lead paint.

There were thoughts to sell and scrap the caboose for $3,500. Now, approximately $36,000 has been put into the project, and those in town say it was worth every penny.

"As a young child, you listened for that whistle," June McLaughlin told CTV News. "You listen for the sound of the train going over the iron bridge. It was our childhood growing up."

"It's the main entrance of Renfrew right," remarked Mayor Tom Sidney. "And I think if it wasn't there, there'd be a big void."

After years of bringing up the rear, Renfrew's caboose is now set to stand front and centre for years to come.

"It's something that my dad was really proud of, was the town of Renfrew as well as all the people in it," said Haramis-Nikolic.

"And I think seeing the caboose rehabilitated and restored the way it is, is a real testament to the town but more importantly the people."