The Hants Journal

May 12, 2011 I News 3

Hitching a ride on the high tide

Historic, century-old church arrives safely to new home in Avondale
By Ashley Thompson
THE HANTS JOURNAL
NovaNewsNow.com

The old St. Matthew’s Anglican Church

that once stood in Walton has sailed
through unpredictable waters and arrived
in Newport Landing in one piece. Finally.
The church, sitting atop the deck of a
converted ferry operated by Stan Lord of
New Brunswick, set sail on a two-day voy-
age May 4. It docked at the Hantsport
wharf for the night, in an area where the
water levels would stay deep enough to
keep the 30-tonne building afloat, and
made way for Newport Landing around 1
p.m. the following day.
About 200 spectators gathered around
the wharf in Newport Landing on a drizzly
Thursday afternoon to watch the decon-
secrated church sail across the Minas
Basin — a voyage that was attempted a
few times in the fall, but postponed until
spring due to harsh weather conditions.
The church’s impending 45-kilometre
journey across the basin piqued the inter-
est of national media outlets when the
building’s new owners, Lorraine Vassalo
and Stewart Creaser, announced they
intended to rescue the historic structure,
which dates back to 1844, and move it to
their winery via the Minas Basin.
Vassalo could be seen grinning from
ear to ear and snapping plenty of photos
as the ferry drifted closer to Newport Walton’s deconsecrated St. Matthew’s Anglican Church rides the high tide on its way to its new home at the Avondale Sky Winery. Ashley Thompson photo
Landing, about an hour after it set sail in
Hantsport, with her husband in the cabin boat.” “It’s absolutely humbling that so many Leil says the historic building will be
and the newest addition to their Avondale Vassalo said the move process proved people find this of interest. We’re really moved one and a half miles down the
Sky Winery completely intact. to be a tad stressful and, at times, discour- thrilled with the support we’ve received Avondale Road to its new home sometime
“It went fabulously. Phil Leil is just a aging, but having the recycled church sit- and the encouragement.” this week. The movers are making
master at moving and when the ferry got ting on the foundation that has been Phil Leil, the owner of Phil Leil Enter- arrangements with power and cable
here, we knew it was going to be a go, but ready for it since the fall will make it com- prises Limited House and Building providers to ensure service lines will not
we were still very anxious,” said Vassalo, as pletely worth it. Movers, said this was one of his most chal- be disrupted during the relocation.
she watched a moving truck cautiously “To have the church back on dry land is lenging, yet “exciting” projects to date. He Vassalo says the “beautiful structure,”
inch the tilting church closer to the Avon- just absolutely euphoric,” she said, glanc- said the wind and rainfall did not interfere which narrowly escaped demolition when
dale Road. ing at the crowd lining the waterfront, with their plans and, overall, it was a the couple purchased it for $1.67, will be
“I wasn’t just worried about the church; many of whom were applauding and fixat- “pretty good move.” used for retail, production and storage at
I was worried about my husband on that ing on the crew’s every move. But the move isn’t finished quite yet. their Avondale Sky Winery.

The church, seen nearing the Hantsport wharf, was docked in Hantsport overnight May 4 before resuming its journey to Avondale May 5. Tanya Moore photo