It’s definitely been an odyssey for the caretaker’s house at Camp VanEs. The house was originally built in 1977 and has seen no major renovations since it was new. In July of 2019, the renters vacated the house & the decision was made by the Camp Board to convert it to a small retreat center.
The failing cedar shingle roof was replaced with a new metal roof as mandated by BECD to make the building less fire prone. The interior of the house was gutted to the studs in the kitchen and bathrooms. All of the flooring was removed. The rotted back deck & roof were removed & a new deck was built. New triple glazed windows & new front door were installed. Mold & mice issues were remediated in the basement & concrete wall cracks were professionally repaired.
The garage interior was gutted to the studs & the mice chased out of the walls. The garage heater was repaired. New drywall was installed and taped, mudded and painted. A new passage door and new overhead garage door were installed. New ceiling lighting, a used set of cabinets and sink with taps and drain were installed as well. The garage has been used as a craft area during summer camps.
The bathroom walls were reconfigured and new tubs with showers installed in each bathroom. The old copper water lines and hot water tank were replaced with new plastic water lines throughout and an on-demand hot water heater. The electrical system throughout the house was reconfigured and brought up to current code. New recessed lighting was installed in the kitchen, dining area, living room and bathrooms.
The old linoleum, tile and sub-floor in the kitchen, bathrooms and front entrance was removed and new sub-floor installed. New drywall was installed in the kitchen and bathrooms. The ceilings throughout the house were scraped clean of old stipple & new California knockdown stipple applied. New interior passage and closet door frames, doors, door casings, window casings and attic access were installed. The finishing package & baseboards were spray painted white and the walls throughout the house were painted a light gray.
Reputable, certified contractors were utilized for electrical, plumbing, drywall mudding & taping, stippling and painting services. The demolition and bulk of the renovation have been completed by volunteers who have contributed hundreds of hours of time, travel, tools and equipment.
The house needs new kitchen cabinets, counter tops and backsplash, bathroom vanities, sinks, toilets and tile work, new flooring throughout and new appliances (fridge, stove, dishwasher, microwave & range hood). The attic in the house and garage need to be topped up with blow-in insulation. New hand railings are required for the back deck and the front doorsteps. Window coverings and new furnishings (beds, bedroom furniture, dining room table & chairs, couches, pictures, dishes, etc.) are also required.
Additional funds are required to take this project over the finish line. We need to raise an additional $60K from the Moravian community to complete the house so that it can generate the revenue that Camp VanEs needs. See the attached pictures and consider donating to this project. Donations can be made via e-transfer to [email protected] or by Canada Post to Van-Es Camp & Conference Centre, 600 Acadia Drive SE, Calgary, Alberta, T2J 0B8. Indicate that you want your donation to be applied to the “Retreat House Project”. Thanks for your support!
