Solid Stone Standing After Century
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Standing in the doorway of this house built before the railway came through, Ed Carson invites people to stop by for a look. ©Provost News Photo.
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Volunteer Put in 400 Hours Restoring
100 Year Old Stone House
• 3 Feet Thick Layer of Pigeon Droppings on Floors; 14 Layers of Paint on Wall
A stone house, with walls approximately 16 inches thick located west of Hughenden that was built before the railway appeared has been steadily restored by Ed Carson with help from his wife Mary.
The house was built in 1906 - 07 by stonemason Charlie Phipps for its first owner Herb Orak who arrived in the West from Midhurst, Ontario settling at NW 22-40-8 W4.
Ed Carson told The Provost News in an interview inside the 17 by 28 foot stone house that he began restorations on August 22, 2003 “in memory of the prairie pioneers of the Poplar site area”.
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When he began work, the pigeon droppings on the floor were three feet thick throughout the main and upstairs floors. When he worked on the walls he discovered a total of “14 layers of paint” that had been applied over the years. He picked one of the colours he liked and re-painted. None of the windows were intact when the restoration began and have since been replaced by plexiglass.
Carson has spent his own money on this project, rejecting the time consuming bureaucracy of groups like Alberta Heritage because of the many rules and inspections that would have been required. “I just bit the bullet and did it” not wanting to account for every nail and to fill out forms.
Carson estimates that the house has been empty for 44 years but does recall calling on the neighbours when he was a youngster living nearby. The last people living in the house were Tom and Jessie Brown with their son Tom.
An estimated 300 to 400 hours of work has been put into the restoration project with Carson sometimes working two or three hours a day and other times up to eight hours at a stretch. While others went golfing or did different activities, he would quietly revive the house.
Rest of story in October 17 edition of The Provost News.
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Residents Make Their Mark in Municipal Elections
Voting for candidates running in the M.D. 52, the villages of Amisk, Czar, Hughenden and East Central Alberta Catholic Separate Schools Regional Division No. 16 took place on Monday, October 15 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Unofficial results at press time included:
• MD Provost No. 52
In the M.D.s Division 6 voted in as councillor was Darryl Motley with 112 votes. Also running was Tammy Sather with 34 votes and Larry Swanson (incumbent) with 30 votes. The number of actual voters was 176 while the number of eligible voters was 250.
All other M.D. divisions were by acclamation (and all incumbents): Division 1: Tom Schneider; Allan Murray: Division 2; Len Kjos: Division 3; Barrie Tripp: Division 4; Jack Roworth: Division 5; and Fritz Crone: Division 7.
• Village of Amisk
At the Village of Amisk three out of eight nominees were elected: Shelly Walters had 50 votes; Mervin Anholt, had 49 votes; and Arnold Nordin (incumbent) had 44 votes. Also running was Barry Bonner with 37 votes; Ross Dean (incumbent) with 35 votes; Debbie Currier (incumbent) with 23 votes; Tim Taylor, with 20 votes; and John Nice, with 10 votes.
Full story, complete with other town and village results, in October 17 edition of The Provost News.
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M.D. to Get $27.6 Million; Town Promised $6.8 Million by Province Over Decade
Full story in October 17 edition of The Provost News.
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Street Spokesman
This week we ask : "How Do You Like the New Lodge Addition?"
. . . and we heard opinions from Adeline Fischer, Rosemary Biever, Bill Carter, Victoria Sieben, and Sophie Heck.
Check out the October 17 edition of The Provost News for their answers.
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This, along with many other stories and pictures can be found in this week's edition of The Provost News.
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