ST THOMAS – Doug Tarry Limited (DTL) and The Elgin County Railway Museum (ECRM) are excited to announce the successful completion of a major land deal, finalized on June 28, 2024. DTL has purchased the western eight (8) acres of ECRM’s brownfield land for $2.4 million for a redevelopment project to help revitalize St. Thomas’ downtown.
Supporting ECRM’s Future Vision
Along with the land purchase, DTL is showing its ongoing support for ECRM’s mission and future by making a generous $200,000 donation. This will allow ECRM to address current initiatives and critical needs to secure their future as a celebrated anchor of the downtown.
DTL will contribute an additional $36,295 to help ECRM envision and shape the strategic direction of its museum and building to create a strategy for a sustainable future. To achieve this, ECRM has engaged Lord Cultural – an Ontario-based global consulting practice and industry leader offering planning services for museums, art galleries, and other cultural institutions. They have specialized expertise and experience working with railway and transportation museums.
More About Doug Tarry Developments’ Railway Lands Redevelopment
Through the Railway Lands Redevelopment, Doug Tarry Developments (DTD), a division of DTL, aims to create a walkable district and a central gathering place in Downtown St. Thomas. This project will offer various housing types and support both existing and future commercial and community opportunities, including the ECRM, CASO Station, and downtown businesses.
ECRM will continue to own and operate the eastern portion of their lands, including the historic ECRM building. DTL and ECRM have agreed to closely collaborate to ensure integration between the redevelopment and the museum lands.
Currently, ECRM’s brownfield lands are contaminated from their historical railway uses. DTL is assuming responsibility for necessary future remediation efforts on the purchased lands, in advance of any development.
About Doug Tarry Limited, Doug Tarry Homes and Doug Tarry Developments
Since its inception in 1954, Doug Tarry Homes has been a beacon of excellence in homebuilding, deeply committed to the communities of St. Thomas and the surrounding areas. This legacy, passed down by our founder, Doug Tarry Sr., embodies the ethos of leaving every place better than we found it, a philosophy that resonates through every aspect of our work. Now, Doug Tarry Developments, a division of Doug Tarry Limited, is leading the e0orts towards an innovative new vision for Downtown St. Thomas to revitalize the Railway Lands near the CASO station and Elgin County Railway Museum (ECRM).
About the Elgin County Railway Museum
The Elgin County Railway Museum has been housed in the 52,000-square-foot, 1913 Michigan Central Railroad locomotive shops, since its incorporation in 1989 and purchased the property in 2010. The Museum has grown from a small, solely volunteer-run institution to a growing and thriving organization with dedicated staff, opportunities for summer employment, and a foundation of strong volunteers that has blossomed over the past 30 years. We look forward to continuing to grow in our community and provide a bond to our city’s history and future as “The Railway City.”
