Establishment to combine history and modern amenities
A Cheney High School's Key Club member cleans and repairs windows as part of the Cheney Depot remodel.
CHENEY – The Cheney Depot is undergoing a serious overhaul now that it has been moved.
According to Susan Beeman with the Cheney Depot Society, the group has been working on remodeling the inside of the facility, and the plans may surprise some residents.
"People may wonder what's going on with the depot," Beeman said. "It has been sitting and it may not look like much is being done, but there is a lot of work going on inside the building."
She said project architect Terry Mourning has plans to turn the depot into a community gathering place and eatery.
"We have been tossing some ideas around and we feel it would make a great place to have a coffee shop or restaurant," Mourning said. "We can combine the history of the building with a modern dining experience.
"This way the depot will also create some of its own revenue in return."
The group is taking the work one step at a time though, according to Beeman, and it has been working with volunteers to help get the
buildings windows cleaned, restored and ready for installation after the colder winter months roll through.
"We have had a ton of community support," Beeman said. "Recently, a group of Cheney High School students came out and helped us with a window workshop.
"Krista Delaney is the group's adviser, and she said they would be coming back out to help us again."
According to Beeman, the group has been getting a tremendous amount of community support, and Avista has donated a total of $75,000 to renovate and restore the building.
Other private donors have helped this project, as well.
Karolee Hansen and her late husband Peter have invested more than $700,000 in the preservation project, Beeman said, noting Peter Hansen wanted to have a nice community gathering place, and wanted to leave a gift for the community.
According to Beeman, the railroad has deep historic ties to the community, and the town's namesake, Benjamin P. Cheney, was a major player in the Northern Pacific Railway line.
He also provided funding for the first school in town.
According to Cheney Depot President Tom Trulove, the historic ties go even further making the preservation of the depot more important.
"Funny thing is the passing through the pillars tradition at Eastern Washington University was started with the railroad, as well," Trulove said.
"Students would get off the train and walk up the road and right through the pillars.
"It's a tradition we still see today."
Mourning said he hopes to capture the importance of that history by having informative booths and historic markers through the building while being able to enjoy a more open dining experience.
"We really want people to be able to come together here and enjoy looking back on what impact the railroad had on our community," Mourning said. "And we just want them to be able to relax when doing so.
"Our little town can really benefit from having a themed eatery."
Matthew graduated from West Virginia University-Parkersburg in 2011 with a journalism degree. He's an award-winning photographer and enjoys writing stories about people.
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