Our Old Gal

It is our pleasure and joy to call the General Store our home. However, sometimes it feels like we fight many battles that you wouldn’t even think about behind the scenes. Lights on the fritz, animals, graffiti (although that’s not the buildings’ fault),interesting characters sulking outside, a toilet breaking down, flooding bathrooms, it’s a lot. This author is no longer allowed to change light bulbs as every time she does, the light breaks or the breaker goes off, so out of an abundance of caution she won’t change any more lights and will sit in the dark if she has to (or because sometimes changing a light bulb here takes a lot of effort). All these issues have become charming over the years and all of us know it comes with the territory of being a part of this historical building.

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In 1997 the Corporation of the District of Pitt Meadows purchased the 110-year-old General Store building (now over 140 years old!) to restore it and turn it into the new home of the Pitt Meadows Museum and Archives. With a fixed budget for both purchase and restoration, the restoration funds were spread thin but the daunting and expensive task was completed in time for Pitt Meadows Day in June of 1998. The bulk of the restoration funds were spent on the demolition of old sheds, construction of new outbuildings, reroofing, interior and exterior painting, electrical and systems work, sprinkler system, perimeter drains and sewer and water hookups. Other minor tasks were also completed and many more were left to be worked on over the years. This building is a beautiful place to work and staff, volunteers and visitors are all appreciative of the attention to detail that went into the original construction, but staff and volunteers have also come to understand the meaning of the term “money pit” when it is used to describe an old building. Consider these five things before you buy an old “fixer-upper”.

1. What are the foundations made of? This building still has wooden foundations in some areas. Stable for now, we know we are looking at replacement down the road.

2. How’s the wiring? Much of the wiring in this building was upgraded by previous owners. However, there was still much to do before the Museum moved in. At present we still are under-plugged and under-switched -- charming some of the time but frustrating when you are working in low-light areas with no plugs. We have a love-hate relationship with the amount of extension cords we are forced to use. We have gotten to know the City of Pitt Meadows electrician quite well!

3. And the plumbing? What can we say; iron pipes are hard to repair and are often difficult to get to without tearing out walls or floors. The decommissioned ones can also surprise and awe you when the walls suddenly “weep”. Other plumbing issues include 100-year build-ups of sludge in the drainage pipes and old bathtubs and toilets that leak or suddenly fill (or could that be the ghosts?).

4. What vermin and other wildlife call your new place home? Here we have seen it all from birds to squirrels to rats and mice. Old buildings have many more points of entry than just windows and doors, most of which are too small to spot until you have to evict the latest creature. It’s a never-ending battle, they want in but we desperately want them to stay out, and sadly we lose it almost every time.

5. Are there ghosts and things that go bump in the night? Old buildings make a lot of noise. Are you ready for this? Most of our “ghosts” we can explain away to the age of the building but there are some things that simply defy explanation…

We love our building and with the help of the City and the Leisure Services department, we manage to keep it standing, safe and secure without losing the charm and warmth that make it such a wonderful place to be a part of. If you are still thinking of a charming old fixer-upper, find yourself a sympathetic banker and a very patient contractor and then enjoy.