I was foot weary, alone, and while a friendly face is always welcomed what I needed most was a moment to rest. I slogged southward on King Street, as I had heard good things about a "Meditation Garden" at the "Old Church"; I was hoping for a place to put my feet up. A day earlier, Evi, had told me that a group of volunteers would be planting annuals there, but, the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia meetings I was attending kept me away. I don't mind a bit of gardening or lending a helping hand.
The "Old Church", formerly St. James Anglican Church had been built in 1913 the same year the Grand Pacific Trunk Railway rolled through the newly established Town of Smithers.
The Anglican congregation eventually outgrew the Old Church and vacated to a new location in 1975. The simple little church, left to the town, fell into a deep silence and a state of disrepair.
The salvation of the "Old Church" was one of those projects that the local Smithereens, (love that name), obviously take a great deal of pride in; as by this time in my travels, several locals had directed me there for a "look-see". On the throes of being torn down, an Australian, of all people, (I wish I had his name, as all great initiatives require leadership) urged the Town to preserve one of Smithers oldest remaining buildings as a place for use by the Arts and for non-profits.
In 2004, the building was restored and today serves as a community assembly and concert hall holding up to 90 souls at a time.
[While most small communities provide tremendous tax supported assets to "sports" (massive fields, ice arenas, swimming pools, lights, washrooms etc.) too few resources are usually given to the "arts" it is nice to see that Smithers and its' Smithereens are behind both.]
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Old Church, Smithers BC |
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Meditation Garden, Old Church, Smithers BC |
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Happy feet |
Forget days past, heart broken, put all memory by!
No grief on the hill-side, no pity in the sky,
Joy that may not be spoken fills mead and flower and tree.
~William Morris (1834-96) from Fair Weather and Foul
Stephen Mullock RI
is an award winning full-time real estate agent with 30 years of experience and hundreds of sales. Thinking of buying or selling real estate in the Fraser Cheam communities of Chilliwack, Agassiz or Harrison Hot Springs? Contact Steve (click here) for experience, local knowledge and friendly service you’ll be happy you did.