Friends of Elmira
The Friends of Elmira Railway Museum Inc. is a nonprofit, community-based organization, committed to providing cultural attractions in Eastern Kings, PEI including guided tours at East Point Lighthouse and tours and train rides at Elmira Railway Museum. The Board consists of a group of committed and dedicated community volunteers who have a vision for the continuation of cultural tourism in the Eastern PEI region.
Friends of Elmira Board is an equal opportunity employer who hire 8-10 local adults/students to oversee the day-to-day operations of the lighthouse and the miniature train. The staff is provided with on-the-job training to allow them to offer all visitors the friendly & welcoming service that Islanders are known for, while ensuring that all safety measures are met at both locations.
The Tourism season on PEI is very short and somewhat competitive, with every business seeking its share of the market. The mandate of Friends of Elmira is to encourage and support the growth of tourism in our area and enhance the economic impact that it provides to our local restaurants, cafes, shops, accommodations, and other destinations. We welcome visitors to wind their way along the Points East Coastal Drive and enjoy the breath-taking views and attractions on their journey to the Eastern tip of our beautiful island.
Present Mandate
Friends of Elmira is a community based, non-profit organization committed to providing cultural tourism attractions in Eastern Kings, Prince Edward Island (PEI) by providing:
1) guided tours of the East Point Lighthouse
2) train rides on the miniature trains at Elmira Railway Museum.
The Friends of Elmira have the vision of being community leaders in cultural tourism and incorporate
3 main values in their decision making:
– Community spirit
– Honesty and transparency
– Cooperation and commitment
“The Friends of Elmira Railway Museum Inc.” board members are committed to collecting, persevering and interpreting the history of Canada’s Confederation Lighthouse”.
The Elmira Railway Museum
The Elmira Railway Museum was built in 1912 and is one of the seven sites owned and operated by PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation, and is the home the Elmira Railway station, a model train collection with over 200 HO models, including the original link exhibit depicting the CN connection with the ferries to PEI, a CN caboose and the PEI Miniature Railway. Elmira is located at the eastern end of the Confederation trail and has a new “train themed” playground for children to enjoy during their visit to the museum.
Friends of Elmira own 16-acres of land where the Miniature Railway operates, which is located adjacent to the Elmira Railway Museum. Visitors can ride the 1.8 km rails, in a natural wooded setting while enjoying a 200 ft mural depicting historic buildings in the area, a covered bridge, a 100 foot above ground tunnel, and over 90 wooden displays of replica animals and scenes. Elmira is a popular tourism destination and is a ‘must do’ attraction with tourists and locals who visit year after year.
Friends of Elmira have completed many phases of development at both sites since their conception in 2000 and initiated major infrastructure projects at both East Point and Elmira Railway Museum.
Elmira Railway Museum:
Phase I:
Building of the model train center and moving and restoration of the freight shed.
Phase II:
Clearing of land and laying of rails for the Miniature railway;
Construction of the Miniature train building;
Purchase of two miniature trains.
Phase III:
The addition of two murals depicting historic buildings in the area, a covered bridge, 100 foot above ground tunnel and replicas of native animals; the construction of the Gift Shop and the moving of the old gift shop to be used for record storage and overflow on the site
Phase IV:
Construction of a new train-themed playground.
The East Point Lighthouse
The East Point Lighthouse has been owned and operated by the Friends of Elmira since 2009. This lighthouse was built in 1867 and branded as “Confederation Lighthouse” and is the only lighthouse built in Canada that remains standing. East Point is a natural hub for tourism in the Eastern Kings area, with an annual visitation of 40,000+ visitors, who can enjoy a guided tour of the historic Lighthouse, and when at the top take in the panoramic view of the Northumberland Strait and Gulf of St Lawrence and watch the “meeting of the tides” (a thin line of waves created where the two tides collide). Many also visit the East Point Lighthouse Craft Shop, where they will find the work of many local artisans.
Friends of Elmira have completed many phases of development at both sites since their conception in 2000 and initiated major infrastructure projects at both East Point and Elmira Railway Museum.
East Point Lighthouse:
Phase I:
Relocation of the fog alarm building
interior renovations to the fog alarm building for a craft shop and Café
new building for washrooms and new septic system installation
construction of boardwalks,
construction of a bird watching tower
Phase II:
Painting of the Lighthouse and other buildings for the 150th Anniversary in 2017 plus additional signage installed to showcase East Point Lighthouse designated as Canada’s Confederation Lighthouse.
Phase III:
Construction of a new staff building
Phase IV:
Safety fencing installed along the coast for the safety from erosion for visitors
Contact us for information on our organization info@friendsofelmira.com
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