Please, take a seat: Pews from old N.B. church up for sale
If you've ever wanted to take home a little piece of New Brunswick history, now is your chance.
The pews at United Baptist Church in Harvey Station, N.B. are up for sale.
"Their realtor approached myself as the chair of Harvey Community Days and asked if we would be interested in selling off their pews or providing them to local organizations so that the community could benefit from the sale," said Dan Fletcher, chair of Harvey Community Days.
“If some of the benches could stay in the community that would be great from a historical perspective.”
Harvey Community Days raises thousands of dollars every year to give back to the community.
"We usually raise between $25,000 to $30,000 for community organizations, so things like school system, community projects, all the things within Harvey. This will just add and allow us to do even a little bit more and understandably with COVID, the challenges that there have been, we're keen to help our community in any way we can," he said.
With the pews emptied out, the church will be kept in the community’s family, with a local business taking over the space.
"It's really quite exciting, the fact that we're able to stay local and I'm sure the United Baptist Church is very happy that Heidi McLean, owner of a local business, she's bringing Hunter House here, which has bath products and other local made products. So, it's a great way to transition and keep everything within the community," Fletcher said.
Some pews have already sold, and Fletcher has heard some creative ideas for them.
"Some people just want them as a piece of history, other people are interested in having a bench for a family room, a cottage, businesses are also often interested,” he said.
“We have a local barn up in our community that's a wedding venue and this is obviously a great opportunity, so this is nice to see the different ways of something that was in a church for many years can be reused and revitalized.”
The United Baptist Church in Harvey Station will be holding its last service this Sunday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Countries struggle to draft 'pandemic treaty' to avoid mistakes made during COVID
After the coronavirus pandemic triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed millions, leaders at the World Health Organization and worldwide vowed to do better in the future. Years later, countries are still struggling to come up with an agreed-upon plan for how the world might respond to the next global outbreak.
NEW Iconic Canadian song turns 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Whooping cough outbreak declared in Newfoundland
Health officials say there is an outbreak of whooping cough in eastern Newfoundland.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.