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Rare buildings get makeovers

(Retrieved from SPOKE: The Official Student Newspaper of Conestoga College)

The second-year renovation technician students are making something old, new again, as they began renovations last week on an old farmhouse. Forty students from the program have been hard at work refurbishing the 150-year-old house located near Doon campus on Blair Road.

Under the supervision of faculty members, the students did what demolitions needed to be done and began the restorations. From  removing old plaster, putting up drywall, rebuilding the roof and window frames and reconstructing the old porch, the students have been working diligently  at restoring the building.

The farmhouse and stone barn are owned by rare, a charitable  research reserve organization dedicated to environmental conservation, restoration and education. Located on 900 acres of land owned by rare, the buildings will become their new facilities for education programming.

“This is going to be the main facilities for hundreds of school kids to come and learn,” said Amanda Newell, garden co-ordinator for rare. “We’ve got phase one of barn renovations done and we’re moving onward.”

And though this is a great hands-on learning experience for the students, it will also have great impact on the heritage of the community as well since the barn itself is one of only four slit barns (a type of stone barn built with slits in the side for ventilation) left in Ontario.

“The project is a highlight of the program for our students,” said Doug Lockston, carpentry professor in the School of Trades and Apprenticeship. “We are tremendously grateful to our sponsors for helping to make this project possible.

The purpose of this was to give back to the community, that’s why we use a nonprofit organization.”

The cost of the renovation is estimated at $60,000, though all supplies were donated, and well, the labour is also free. Donations from sponsors for this year’s program included Swanson Home Hardware, Strassburger Windows & Doors, Pioneer Craftsmen, Schnarr Craftsmen and the Stone Place.