Opinion: Freeman Station: A Wake-Up Call Burlington Can’t Afford to Ignore

Recent developments surrounding Freeman Station should serve as a long-overdue wake-up call for the City of Burlington.

For years, the station sat on lands that, while not without uncertainty, at least provided a sense of continuity. Today, with that property now in new hands, the context has fundamentally changed. Layer onto that the troubling realities of recent events – damage to the site and its temporary occupation by an unhoused individual – and a clear message emerges: inaction is not a neutral choice. It has consequences.

But within this moment lies an opportunity – if the city is prepared to see it.

Freeman Station must no longer be viewed as a static museum relic, frozen in time and visited occasionally. That mindset diminishes both its potential and the extraordinary efforts of the volunteers who spent over a decade bringing it back from the brink.

Instead, the station should be reimagined for what it can be: a living, breathing destination – one that tells Burlington’s railway story in an engaging, accessible, and authentic way.

Location matters, and Freeman Station has what many heritage sites would envy. It sits a stone’s throw from Burlington Beachway Park, a place where, particularly in the summer months, thousands of residents and visitors gather daily. Families, cyclists, tourists, and day-trippers already converge in this area in significant numbers.

And yet, the station – this unique cultural asset – remains largely disconnected from that flow of people.

Why?

Why has this site with such a rich history not been opened?  For one thing and against the wishes of some of the men and women who toiled to rejuvenate the station, the not-for-profit Friends of Freeman Station (FOFS) turned it over to the city where is has sat idle since 2023.  Why, for many years, was it not activated throughout the summer months? Why has it not been positioned as part of the broader waterfront experience?

These are not complicated questions. They are, however, questions that demand answers.

The vision is neither radical nor unrealistic. Imagine Freeman Station open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays, with extended hours throughout the summer. Imagine trained docents – many of whom already exist within the former Friends of Freeman Station – bringing the site to life through stories, demonstrations, and historical insight.

Imagine the authentic artifacts – not replicas, but real pieces of railway history – being interpreted in a way that connects visitors to Burlington’s past in a tangible and memorable way.

This is not about nostalgia. It is about smart, community-driven place making.

Other municipalities understand that heritage, when done properly, is not a cost centre- it is an asset. It draws visitors. It supports local tourism. Furthermore, it strengthens community identity.

Freeman Station has all the ingredients to do the same.

What it requires now is a shift in mindset at City Hall – from passive stewardship to active vision.

There is also an urgency to this moment. Knowledge has already been lost over the past two years with the passing of key individuals who helped restore and interpret the station. Every year that passes without meaningful activation risks further erosion – not just of the physical site, but of the lived knowledge that gives it meaning.

The former volunteers are still here. Their expertise, their passion, and their willingness to contribute remain. But they will not wait indefinitely.

The city has before it a clear choice: allow Freeman Station to drift further into irrelevance, or seize this moment to transform it into a vibrant, accessible, and authentic destination.

The answer should be obvious.

Freeman Station is not just a building. It is a story – of railways, of community, of perseverance, and of civic pride.

It is time Burlington told that story properly.

And it is time to start now.