De Winton Station's Indoor Layout

OVERVIEW - Visitor Information

Over the years De Winton Station has grown to become a truly unique property that has adopted an overall "Western Town" theme with a significant railway influence. This is now the private home of Barrie L. Roberts and friend / companion Jytte Birkholm, (U-ta) located 3 Km west of the hamlet of De Winton on the Southern edge of Calgary's city limits. The property was originally established by Dick and Joan Roberts, (Barrie’s parents) who then planted the abundance of trees that shelter the home and provide a sense of seclusion.

De Winton Station Inc. will continue to focus its energies towards providing a top quality day visit destination for handicapped or special needs children, the underprivileged and to our senior citizens all deserving of our generosity and support. With a greater emphasis now towards securing the specialty services of individuals willing to assist with our development and to attend to our visitors on our afternoon and evening program offerings.

Establishing "DSGR's - Maintenance of Way Support Team," as described herein, will continue to accentuate our 2008/2009 seasons.

We have now successfully hosted the official "Open for Business" date as of - July 1st, 2008, which coincided with our annual "Canada Day Celebrations" and the hamlet of "De Winton’s Stampede Breakfast". We cordially invite you to review the Canada Day itinerary and plan to attend this annual- no cost special event.

Ongoing construction projects will still be evident however non restrictive. We now offer an extension of our operating season to include pre-booking days on Thursday and Friday evenings and Weekends from July 01 - Nov 30, weather permitting. To date we have not charged an admission rate for our visiting guests, as expected this had to end upon opening day, to review our new rates please refer to the addendums section

INTRODUCTION MESSAGE

Welcome to our home and personal 1:29 scale train display, the era "Circa 1915" depicts the year of birth of my father who developed the original property and the Valleyview Acres subdivision. All of the trees were planted by his hand ( and my back ), with the exception of the grouping on the east side, these trees have now matured to provide an excellent wind shelter with the house set within to allow a certain amount of privacy. Mother’s love of gardening gives me the inspiration to enhance the garden aspect of the Garden Railway. The once beautiful vegetable gardens have been given up considering my personal handicap and their overall continual upkeep.

As you can tell by my writings I have a certain respect and fondness for my ancestry. All of whom have served in the great world wars of past and then lived through the depression years. As a baby boomer, I did not experience first hand these events but I do appreciate the life that they had endured or sacrifice. To provide to my generation and yours, the freedoms we now so easily take for granted.

It is time now for me to step up to the plate and to unselfishly give of myself to make this world a better place, in a manner that I am capable of during this stage of my life, not despite of - but in particular because of my disability.

If you can imagine life at the beginning of the last century, you would see the hardships these pioneers had to face on a daily basis just to survive, at best! Let alone to strive and build this country into the booming Mecca it is today. The history of this development, along with the introduction of the steam train, which solidified this nation from the Eastern to Western coastlines and into the Yukon, all within the last 100 years, is truly amazing. I hope to immortalize that picture for future generations, to reflect and to be thankful for their- own being. We live in one of the most pristine places in the world, considering the atrocious events of the day and the continual sacrifices our young men and women are making overseas, to maintain these freedoms and luxuries.

The project: - is at times overwhelming and I must give credit to my friends for their assistance, in particular to Jytte Birkholm who manages to maintain the garden and home and provide a sense of sanity amongst the madness.

For the last three years I have had the pleasure of entertaining several groups as they visit my home and enjoy watching the trains running. In particular the senior home groups - which are encouraged to bring lunches and to picnic for a few hours in the yard, which has a well treed park atmosphere and a full scale Western Town facade on the rear of the premise. I now wish to enlist the assistance of organizations or clubs that have the capacity to enlighten the hearts of the many underprivileged and disabled children and to help support our deserving seniors to reminisce their lives in a comfortable setting.

As you approach the central entrance or breezeway a railway mural and three dimensional station greets you, step inside the caboose entry and directly down to the lower level where you will be surprised to see a "G" Scale layout complete with scenery. One of the enduring features of the side entry and the lower layout are the hand painted murals. I believe they enhance a certain visual enjoyment as you watch and hear the trains travel past.

Once completed the bedroom suite will resemble a CPR parlor car with a Murphy style drop down bed, fashioned after a sleeping berth. The off suite washroom has a wooden ceiling and walnut vanity sink and the kitchen is distressed to resemble that of a vintage train station roadhouse. Obscure (curtained) glass doors provide some vanity protection, viewer discretion is advised.

Enjoy the indoor layout and the detailed scenery throughout, this project will provide enjoyment for many cold winters to follow and is far from complete. Still far enough along to provide the vision I have for the basement - a livable guest area with an action filled railway theme.

Walk around the yard and view the circa 1915 - "Old Town" and outdoor layout in operation too, DSGR's "Maintenance of Way Team" will have displays and be running trains for everyone to enjoy. The unique stairway leading to the Hotel - Saloon frontage and rooftop deck provides spectacular sunset views of Alberta's Southern Foothills country and the breathtaking scenery of the Canadian Rocky Mountains to the West.

Enough said, now please enjoy your pictorial visit to "De Winton Station", and plan to visit us on your next trip to the Calgary area.

Sincerely ~ Barrie & Jytte your hosts

~ Quick Highlighted Tour ~

E-Mail - dsgr01@telus.net ........ Page 2 of 6