HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1979-09-19, Page 27THE. HOME IMPROVEMENT SECTION 7A
The stone fireplace is the focal point of the Smith's sunken living room.
(Photo by Ross Smith)
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was slowly heated and the bath prepared.
The whole process took at least an hour.
"What really.hurt was the thought of all
(Continued on Page 8A)
Old church now cozy home
BY YVONNE REYNOLDS
Some song books contain a hymn titled
"My Home is a Church." Ross and Shirley
Smith have reversed that, and could
truthfully sing, "A church is my home,"
Ten years ago the Smiths, like more than
a million other Canadians, were leading
orderly, uneventful lives in Toronto, where
Ross was employed by a firm that makes
television commercials, Each summer they
renewed acquaintance with the small town
atmosphere of their childhood - Ross from
Wingham, Shirley from Aurora and. White-
church - while Shirley operated a craft
store in Grand Bend. But they were looking
for "something quaint", "out from Tor-
onto."
In 1969, they found what they had been
looking for. A country church had been
slated for demolition and the contract had
been let, when the man who was to do the
job suddenly died. The Smiths came, saw,
and were conquered by the large structure
with its beautiful stained glass windows, fir
wainscotting, priceless wooden ceilings,
and tranquil setting, They became the new
owners of the former Roys Church at R.R.
1, Mitchell, (The address used to be
Russel. idle, but the latest official Ontario
maps have eliminated that little village.)
"I tell my friends that we sat on it for a
couple of years", Shirley laughs, "and
they picture us seated on top of the spire,
contemplating the countryside."
The Smiths visualized a gift shop and tea
robin upstairs in the former church proper,
and living quarters in the basement. In
1971 they decided to tarn their dream into
reality, They sold their Toronto home and
put their furniture into storage, RoSs
moved into a rooming house so he could
`batch it" hi Toronto, andshanged• jobs to
allow himself four days in the city and
three days to work on the church, Shirley
Moved to the living quarters that were part
Of the Grand Bend shop. Ten•lear-old
Btadley Was boarded With a neighbour in
Order to attend school in Mitchell, and
16-year-Old Kathy enrolled in High School,-
By November 1972 this arrangement had
caused too many problems. The"Smiths
resolved to cut all ties with Toronto, camp
in the church basement, and concentrate
on getting the main floor ready to be
opened as a gift shop.
That summer a stonemason was hired to
build the magnificent stone fireplace that is
now the focal point of the sunken living
room. A contractor had been hired to
"rough in" the basement partitions.
However, he had used green lumber which
had warped badly; many of the studs had
to be cut and straightened, and most of his
"rough" work had to be redone.
INSULATE
The Smiths also hired a contractor to
blow cavity foam insulation into all the
walls, with orders to drill all holes above
the irreplaceable fire wainscotting in the
former sanctuary. When Mr. Smith paid an
unscheduled visit to the property, he was
shocked to discover that the insulatori
were at work, and had already drilled holes
in the wood three-quarters of the way
around the huge room. The fir, being old
and dry, had splintered, chipped and
ripped.
Fortunately a retired farmer, Ezra
Willard, was now the Smith's neighbour.
"He was getting close to 80", Ross Smith
recalls, "but there was nothing he didn't
know how to do." The two men devised, a
jig, cut plugs from identical wainscotting in
the basement, enlarged the holes with a
router, Mr. Willard rounded the plugs with
his jack knife, and they filled in all the
holes. Ross now challenges anyone to find
where the holes were, When the insutaters
had finished their job Mr, Smith replast-
erecl all the 20' high walls.
For the next 3 years Mr. Willard was
Ross' catalyst, adviser, helper and friend.
Although he has since died, he has left
behind some very fond niethoties.
The first necessity for basetrient living
was- Water: A well was dug on the adjoining
property, a 994year lease signed, and the
Water Was pumped tip. to a solitary cold
water tap. All cooking was done on a hot
plate, Which also heated Water, one pail at
a time, when someone Wanted the luAtty of
a hot bath4 Ross rnade a styrofoarti cover
that fitted over the tub and kept the water
reasonably *arm as pail by pail the water
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