Shelburne X-mas house tour
Properties in Gunning Cove, Churchover, Roseway & Carlton Village on SRA 2018 Christmas House Tour
Three homes and two historic community landmarks along the scenic Shore Road in the Municipality of Shelburne are on the 10th annual Christmas House Tours brought to you by the Shelburne Re-enactment Association (SRA), being held Sunday, Dec. 2 from 1 to 4 p.m.
The homes of Donna and Greg Rennehan, Pat and Mark Vanbuskirk, and Beth VanBuskirk and Devon Wadden, as well as the St. Paul’s Hall and the St. Paul’s United Church are the properties being presented for this year’s tour. The tour also includes a reception at the Gunning Cove Fire Hall for treats and entertainment.
A portion of the proceeds from the tour will be donated to the local food bank and the participating church. There will be a door prize drawn at the reception. Tickets ($10) are available in advance at Shelburne Furniture, TLC Pharmacy, and the Whirligig Book Store. The day of the tour, tickets will be available at each house.
THE RENNEHAN HOME
Starting with the home of Donna and Greg Rennehan (#578 Shore Road, Churchover) the Rennehan residence was built by Greg’s father, Harry, 27 years ago. The house sits on the side of a hill with a panoramic view of Shelburne Harbour. One of the old outbuildings on the property used to house the local hearse and according to Mr. Rennehan Sr. people were laid out in the living room which is why they think there are ghosts in the new house. Donna, according to friends and her husband, is a Christmas fanatic. She loves Christmas and decorates all three floors of her home. One of her special treasures is a spectacular Christmas village which grows every year. For this year’s house tours there will be two villages featured at
ST. PAUL’S CHURCH HALL
The historic St. Paul’s Church Hall (#1804 Shore Road) was once the school for the area. Completed in 1892, students were separated by gender, as was the practice of the time, with there being a girls entrance and lobby, and a boys entrance and lobby. These two separate doors still exist today. The original blackboards also remain in the building. The school closed in 1961 and in 1963 was purchased and given to St. Paul’s for church purposes
ST. PAUL’S UNITED CHURCH
St. Paul’s United Church (#48 Church Road, Carleton Village) was erected by Presbyterians in the 1860s. The church had a tall steeple with a ball on top which fishermen used as a landmark. St. Paul’s became a part of the United Church of Canada at the time of Union in 1925. The original tin on the ceiling and walls along with the rest of the church building has been well maintained. The tall spire had to be lowered in recent years. Join in with the carollers for Christmas music when you stop by on the Christmas house tour.
THE VANBUSKIRK HOME
Next on the tour is the home of Pat and Mark Vanbuskirk (#107 Ocean View Lane, Roseway). Built in 2008, this beautiful Eastern Cedar Log home is situated on a hill overlooking Shelburne Harbour and McNutt Island. Mark is a direct descendant of Captain Vanbuskirk. Honouring the Vanbuskirk family’s long ties to the sea the home will be decorated in a nautical theme. The open concept living room, dining area and kitchen, and bedroom and loft will delight visitors with an imaginative use of rope, shells, greenery and more.
THE WADDEN HOME
The last stop on the tour is right next door at the home of Beth VanBuskirk and Devon Wadden (#109 Ocean View Lane, Roseway). The cedar shingled two storey home was built in 2008 and is surrounded by the history of the farmers that once worked the land, in the apple trees, grapevines and foundations they left behind. Here tour goers will find a rustic family Christmas with a touch of glitz. Upstairs the open concept layout has views of the water and will be decorated with traditional Christmas themes. Downstairs you will find a whimsical world with Santa’s “Man Cave,” Mrs. Claus’s “Spa Retreat” and a toy workshop busy with elves.