The spoiled logs were replaced; and the roof repaired and
shingled. The siding had to be specially made for that era and then installed with specially hand made square head
nails. Special preservation oil was put on the siding. There were no windows remaining in the building, so new windows were hand made by one of our volunteers and have now been
hung. Any rotten flooring has been replaced on both first and second floors, doors have been hand crafted and hung and proper ventilation has been
done. This building is almost
complete; it just needs the chinking put on the inside log walls. The stairs were built and rails constructed and put into place by another one of our
volunteers. This building is
not quite ready to have furniture placed in it in the spring.
St. Nicholas Parish Hall
New doors and windows have been installed, the roof repaired, and cedar shingles installed. The addition on the west side of the Hall was rebuilt to house a kitchen and two washrooms. Painting of the inside of the Hall is complete. The deck and railings are complete. Finishing work such as baseboards and chair rails were completed and painted. The front steps of the Hall were constructed and the railing completed. Windows in the porch were repaired, installed, and painted. The old porch floor was torn out, new floor installed and varnished with 5 coats of varnish. All exterior trim was repaired and painted. A velvet curtain was made and installed. Work has started on finishing the basement, starting with studs and insulating the exterior walls. 
The Grand Open of the St. Nicholas Parish Hall took place on May 28th, 2005 with
full fanfare. Thanks to over 10,000 hours of volunteer work and fund raising
efforts, the Hall has been restored to its former splendour and is available to
the public for private parties, family gatherings, bridal showers and local
community events. The Hall features a large stage, hardwood floors, a spacious
deck, a fully serviced kitchen and wheelchair accessibility.Sigvaldason House
The house has been cleaned inside and out, the old insulate exterior wall sheeting has been removed leaving the original siding. Some of the exterior siding repairs have been done and the entire house has been primed. The house interior has been stripped and cleaned - walls and floors. The existing roof has been repaired and will have new cedar shingles in the spring. The original veranda was rebuilt on the west end (front) of the house.
St. Demetrius Parish Church
Our next building project, tentatively scheduled for when the snow clears, is the addition of St. Demetrius Parish Church. Presently in the district of Bjarmi, just four miles North of Arborg, the church is in reasonable condition but quite deteriorated.
Construction of the church started in 1918 but was halted when some of the homesteaders wanted it to be a Protestant church. Two years later, construction continued when all agreed that it would be a Greek Catholic Church.
Railway Caboose
Also on our project list for spring is a circa 1920 railway caboose. Delivered on August 8th, 2005, the former Canadian Pacific Railway caboose was hoisted onto a rail bed especially made for this new addition. Winterized with some outside renovations, the caboose is ready for further interior and exterior work.
Poplar Heights School
Another project in the works is the Poplar Heights School near Warren, Manitoba. The former single-room schoolhouse, which was built in 1918 and closed in the late 1960s, has fallen into a state of disrepair. Until recently, a small back room of the building was used in the winter as a skate changing shack for those using the local community skating rink. As a new changing building is planned, the RM of Woodland has graciously offered up the building to a new home in our village.
Copyrighted March, 2006 - Arborg & District Multicultural Heritage Association. All rights reserved.