David and Bruce Chambers have worked individually and together over many years to rescue, restore and/or reuse heritage buildings.
This year, another generation joined the efforts. Kent Chambers, Bruce’s son and David’s grandson, helped secure the foundation of the S.S. No. 6 school on David’s property in Bond Head with the intention of making it possible to use it once again as a school.
This time, the intention is to offer a kind of co-operative space for folks who want to come in and practise woodworking and whatever they want to work on while getting some guidance on the use of hand tools. The old school building offers inspiration, built well before power tools existed.
In 1978, David’s knowledgeable eye made the discovery of the early timber-frame building on the south side of Highway 88 as he was passing by. It was being used as a barn at that time. David made some inquiries and discovered it was the original Middleton School built in 1850. He tried to purchase it, but the owner had the intention of using the wood to build a garage.
Several years later, David heard the owner hadn’t done anything with it and was looking for someone to take it down. He gave it to David for agreeing to relocate it and clean up the site where it had been used as a barn.
David and the then-18-year-old Bruce began to mark all of the pieces and dismantle the building.
“We knew this was an important cultural heritage asset,” said David.
It is a rare timber-frame building. He said partial plaster walls were still evident as blackboards.
The building is not large — 30 by 24 feet (9.144 by 7.3152 metres) — so the only moving challenge was the 30-foot sills.
“In 1983, an ideal spot was chosen in the old Brazel House Orchard and the restoration was begun on a new cement block foundation,” says David.
The Brazel (Brazil/Brazill) House in Bond Head is a designated heritage building and home to David and June Chambers.
Once in place, the school building was given a new roof and siding, 12-over-eight window sash, new pine floors and a new front door. Windows were made with a number of panes of small glass in each sash. David said it was not difficult to restore the sash with old glass.
“By 1984, the project was complete, much to the gratification of father and son,” he said.
It has primarily been used as storage since then.
This summer, the third-generation Chambers, Kent, suggested the school be used to help perpetuate and encourage an interest in hand tools and woodworking that is a family passion. The restoration from the early 1980s held, but the foundation needed to be repaired if it was going to be repurposed.
“The foundation was in really rough shape, and I saw an opportunity this summer to spend some time after work and get it done,” Kent said.
They lifted the school off the old foundation to do the repairs. They will also insulate it, finish the inside, bring the wiring up to date and bring in a source of heat. The exact programs to be offered when the school is ready will evolve with community input.
Bruce Chambers runs a business in restoring and creating furniture in a workshop on the same property. His workspace was once an Orange Hall. The Chamberses moved that building to the same property about 10 years before the school.
The family proved to be creative thinkers and doers. They have been and continue to be involved in various historical community projects beyond their own personal rescues and reusing of heritage buildings.
Rosaleen Egan is a freelance journalist, storyteller, and playwright. She blogs on her website, rosiewrites.com.
