HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-08-25, Page 2PAGE 2. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 1999.
Family puts history to good use
Revisited
His family home and business as a young boy, Don McNeil recently cleaned up the former
J.C. McNeil service station for his son’s wedding cermony and reception.
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen staff
With interest being shown in a
revitalization of Brussels down
town, one main street landowner
had further incentive for a
makeover.
When Don and Sue McNeil’s son
approached them about a year ago
with the idea of using the family’s
old service station as the site for his
upcoming marriage, his father was
at first reluctant. Having been used
as a storage space for Don’s collec
tion of classic cars, automobile parts
and memorabilia, the place, located
at the north end of the village, was
jam-packed to the rafters.
“At first I thought the job would
be too big, but inspired by the wed
ding I decided to get started. I real
ized tne building deserved to be
cleaned up,” said McNeil.
His respect for the structure
comes from a certain sentimental
association. The building has a long
and dignified history in the village.
Prior to the turn of the century the
site was Philip Ament’s wagon
woodworking factory. Rebuilt in
1904 it produced wagons and
sawmill supply in the Ament family
name.
Jim McNeil, a licensed mechanic,
purchased the property after a five-
year stint in the air force in 1946 and
opened J.C. McNeil’s Shell Service.
The family lived above the garage.
In the late 1970s Jim leased it to
Dominion Chain Co., which after
losing the contract with Massey
Ferguson eight years later moved
out. It became storage space then for
Don, who eventually purchased it
from his father because “I was using
so much anyway.”
Cleaning up the garage was a sat
isfying experience for McNeil.
“Every place had a little memory."
For example, he recalls the time
when he was about 12 that a piece of
machinery had flown from a grinder
when he and his dad were working
in the shop. “We looked every
where, I remember searching for
hours for that.”
The missing piece fell off a beam
during the recent clean-up and
brought back vivid recollections of
that time with his father.
It is for these types of reasons that
McNeil has begun to ponder
whether the building deserves bet
ter. Having poured a new cement
floor and done some refurbishing,
the idea of putting everything back
in as it was started to bother him.
“The wedding here worked very
well. We had the ceremony, the
reception and the brunch here the
following morning and I started to
see that there may be some use for
it.”
McNeil, however, is open to sug
gestion. “I’ve considered everything
from a small museum to rentals. But
I don’t want to take away from any
thing that’s already here or that
would damage the building.”
He did list the building as avail
able for a factory or plant in the
Brussels survey if it meets criteria.
“It would be good to see something
that would stimulate the Brussels
economy.”
“If there’s a use for it, now’s the
time to think about it, while every
thing is still out of it,” he says.
Even if three months from now,
the garage is full once again of
McNeil’s collection the overhaul
won’t have been a wasted effort.
“There is still the pride in ownership
and having bettered the building.”
Because there has been some
interest shown, McNeil has planned
an open house to try and get further
input before he “starts filling it back
up.”
The public is invited to come and
have a look on Friday, Aug. 27 from
2-9 p.m.
Special place
When Dan McNeil chose the family’s former service cen
tre as a place for his summer nuptials, some restorations
and a lot of muscle were required to bring the building with
a history back to life. Full of memories and ambience, it
was a perfect romantic setting.
Anticipation
Rose Kellington of the Brussels Budgies grimaces as she
swings at a pitch during a co-ed three-pitch tournament
held in Walton, Aug. 21. The fun day, with teams from
walton Brussels and Ethel area helped raise funds for the
Walton ball park.
2 men charged with theft
from Grey Twp. business
On Aug. 17, a break, enter and
theft was reported to Wernham
Transport in Grey Twp. near
Molesworth. A large amount of
property was stolen from a storage
shed when someone had kicked in
the door.
Early Aug. 18 police received a
call from a hunter who had come
across a large amount of property
lying in a bush lot in Culross Twp.
Members of the break and enter
squad attended the location and
found it to be property stolen from
Wernham Transport the day before.
Officers from the Emergency
Response Team set up surveillance
and after several hours
apprehended two males who were
loading up the items into a truck.
The two, an 18 and a 20-year-old
from Kinloss and Culross Twps.,
were arrested and have been
charged.
The Kinloss Twp. man has been
charged with break, enter and theft
and possession of stolen property
and will attend court in Wingham
on Oct. 5. The Culross Twp. man
has been charged with possession
of controlled substance and
possession of stolen property and
will attend court in Walkerton on
Oct. 21.
Pool closes
Aug. 29
There is a change from the Brus
sels, Morris and Grey Recreation
board news reported in last week’s
issue of The Citizen regarding the
closing this vear of the BMG pool.
The pool will close for the season
on Aug. 29.
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