A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to raise money for the rebuilding of Fernwood’s popular railway garden, which was destroyed by a fire Wednesday afternoon.

Former Fernwood employee Benjamin Futa created the GoFundMe campaign after learning about the fire.

“For me it is still a very special place and very significant,” said Futa, who now works as director of the Allen Centennial Gardens at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin. “Even being a couple states away now it still felt like it was in my backyard — it still felt like I was there.”

The GoFundMe campaign is attempting to raise $10,000 for the railway garden, which has attracted thousands of visitors to Fernwood since opening on Father’s Day in 2009.

People can find the GoFundMe campaign by searching “Rebuild Fernwood’s Railway Garden” online at gofundme.com or by typing the following web address: www.gofundme.com/j36w62xg.

Fernwood Executive Director Carol Line credits the railway garden with helping keep the public garden afloat during a time when visitation was low.

A Fernwood volunteer who was monitoring the railway garden said the fire started in one of the small structures that house the electronic components for the display.

Line said Fernwood intends to rebuild the structure and that Fernwood’s hours and Saturday’s Halloween event remain unchanged.

Line said the outpouring of support has made the loss easier to handle.

“Many of the names of people extending condolences and offering support are familiar and others are new to us,” she said. “It’s times like these that demonstrate the reach of our work and its significance in our community. We are deeply touched.”