Reclaiming buildings

Recently an old livery barn was torn down on the historic waterfront of our town, Kagawong.  The gorgeous building dated to about 1890.  Its new owners were hoping to save the exterior structure for their new cottage.  It proved unsalvageable as a whole, but they were able to save some intact pieces to use in the new construction.  Luckily we happened to walk by after the demolition, and the owner let us take a bunch of dismantled timbers including posts, beams, and one bent.  We are already daydreaming about how to incorporate this historical wood (douglas fir, pine and eastern white cedar) into some new projects. 

Salvaging old building materials is something we're so excited about!  Sadly we don't have a picture of the Kagawong barn while it was still standing.  The photo above is typical of the intriguing, weathered buildings that dot the island.  We admired this one on a recent weekend drive near Tehkummah.

Manitoulin Market Place

We just finished building the kiosk office for the Manitoulin Market Place, the new cooperative of artisans and cottage industries housed on Gore Bay's waterfront.  The cabin fits perfectly with the rustic style of the surrounding building, the impressive Red Roof Pavilion.

Stop by to check it out, while you visit the Farmer's Market (friday mornings) or grab a treat at the Ooh Deer! ice cream parlour inside.

2011 Building Season: packages + cedar!

Now that the island has finally thawed after a long winter, we are ramping up for the coming building season.  Please contact us for information about shed and cabin designs/pricing for 2011.

Exciting news for this year — we will now be distributing the cedar products of Manitoulin Cedar Fence, from a mill on Wikwemikong.  They offer high quality decking, fencing and panelling, with custom cuts available.

Our shed packages will also be available through Castle in M'Chigeeng.

Bird observation blind

This winter we built an observation blind at the Gore Bay Airport for the Friends of Misery Bay.  It was designed for use by naturalists who visit the island every April to view the Sharp-tailed Grouse, a fascinating bird species that breeds here.  

 

photo: Royal Alberta Museum

At dawn, birders hike out to witness the mating displays at a "lek", a mating arena in the grassy vegetation where males dance and compete for female attention.

 

 photo: Dave Millsom

This project was especially exciting for us because we built it entirely from recycled/left over materials.  A double win for conservation!

Keeping cozy

For this coming winter, we are in the process of building a wood shed for a client on Lake Kagawong.  Here's the framing in progress.

North Channel vistas

This summer we built a cedar deck to finish a new bunkie on Barrie Island, providing a great vantage point to the North Channel.  We used what we call “eco-lumber”, selectively harvested and milled on Manitoulin.

 

Shed design packages

Thanks to the staff at Castle Building Centre in M’Chigeeng for carrying our garden shed designs.  These storage products are available as packages that we install on your site, or as do-it-yourself kits.