The end is in sight for the Benalto Booster Club, a group of residents who have been working since 2013 to refurbish the Benalto Train Station, turning it into a community hub for the hamlet.

At its meeting on June 6, Red Deer County council approved a $75,000 grant that will help pay for the last phase of the project.

The club plans to apply for a provincial grant to cover the rest of the $130,670 cost.

Some of the remaining work includes building a balcony that surrounds the entire building, providing a panoramic view of the mountains; installing washrooms, solar panels, flooring.

Timeline for completion will depend on securing funding, as well as availability of contractors.

But when that happens, the Benalto Train Station will provide a recreation centre, meeting space and a museum on the second floor.

A county staff report states that aside from a 1960s-era community hall, Benalto does not have a recreation centre for special events. The closest facilities are in Eckville or Sylvan Lake, located about 15 km away each way.

That will soon change, says the club’s Dave More.

“I think it’s going to give us a real, true town centre, isn’t it? A place to gather and collect our history and meet, it’s an activity centre for the kids and for youth groups, seniors,” More says.

“It’s just going to give us a boost to the heart of town.”

The Benalto Train Station dates back to 1928 and was moved to Red Deer in 1971. In 2012, the owners of the building donated it back to the community. Since then, the Booster Club has given it a new foundation performed general landscaping.