'Chouse': From a southern Ontario house of worship to a family home
'Chouse': From a southern Ontario house of worship to a family home
It’s a trend that has become popular in the last decade. Purchasing old property with lots of character and renovating it into a dream home.
A couple from Parkhill, Ont.did just that, with a twist.
In November 2020, Kendra Halpenny and her fiancé Shane Cormier bought an old Methodist Church, built in 1898, and transformed it into 3,800 square feet of living space for their family.
But the couple says it wasn’t an easy task.
"We really thought ‘what did we get ourselves into?’ But we fell in love with the ceilings,” said Halpenny.
The 18 foot cathedral ceiling with the original hand-crafted wood work, is just one of the many features that stand out upon entering the home — affectionately dubbed the ‘chouse.’
Not wanting to disturb the pre-existing building and maintain as much character as possible, the couple kept the stained glass windows and the wood framing around them, along with original brick work in many parts of the home.
Inside the former Greenway Church turned family home, Nov. 15, 2022. (Reta Ismail/CTV News London)
The church, which also came with a barn and half an acre of land, was purchased for $345,000 in November 2020. At the time that seemed like a steal, but with the cost of renovating during the pandemic, the total ballooned to roughly $750,000.
“I think we were pretty naive when we got into this, we had a budget in mind and we blew that up,” said Cormier.
The couple told CTV News the property was essentially a shell and would require a lot of work.
“It was completely gutted from the previous owner. So when we came in there were stairs missing, there were no walls, it was just completely the bare bones of the building,” said Halpenny.
The house now features a grand open concept living space on the main level with three bedrooms and an additional family room in the lower level.
The former Greenway Church turned family home, Nov. 15, 2022. (Reta Ismail/CTV News London)And if you're wondering, since it's an old church and all, if there are any spirits still lingering, Halpenny said... "I don't know if it's my mind playing tricks on me or if you just hear things because it's an old building, but we've definitely scared our daughter a couple of times by telling her we can hear people walking upstairs.”
Despite the lengthy and costly renovation the couple said it was worth it.
"Now that we're here and we see the fruits of our labour, I think we're both happy that we went through the process and we both love the place," said Cormier.
The family is taking their time furnishing their forever home and hope to have a massive Christmas tree in the future, after all, they certainly have the ceiling space for it.
The federal Liberals are withdrawing a controversial amendment to their guns bill that would have added many popular hunting rifles and shotguns to a list of prohibited firearms in Canada.
The Department of National Defence says Canada is working with the United States to protect sensitive information from foreign intelligence threats after a high-altitude surveillance balloon was detected.
China said Friday that a balloon spotted over American airspace was used for weather research and was blown off course, despite U.S. suspicion it was spying. The discovery further strained already tense relations between Beijing and Washington.
Hundreds of customers who scan QR codes for restaurant menus across Canada are being surprised by secret menus instead, revealing the hidden costs behind the food they eat.
Big tech companies that offer online streaming services could soon be required to contribute to Canadian content as a controversial Liberal bill gets one step closer to becoming law.
Lives were 'shattered' when Kabul fell into Taliban hands, and thousands remain in limbo, unable to return to Afghanistan. CTV News' Genevieve Beauchemin recalls her visit to makeshift refugee camps set up in Pakistani parks, and the stories she heard during that time.
Many Canadians have continued to see an increase in their rental rates in 2023. In an column on CTVNews.ca, personal finance contributor Christopher Liew explains how to calculate how much rent you can afford.
Black Friday commemorates the loss of people’s livelihoods with guided tours and viewing of the one Avro Arrow replica. It’s also a starting point for the public introduction of the Canadian Air & Space Museum.
Huronia West Ontario Provincial Police say a local person posted a car for sale on a popular online platform and received an inquiry of interest from an unknown suspect.
The city’s annual Winterfest brings back the historical village that was Barrie and presents the new downtown, complete with snow tube and helicopter rides.
Hundreds of customers who scan QR codes for restaurant menus across Canada are being surprised by secret menus instead, revealing the hidden costs behind the food they eat.
The Department of National Defence says Canada is working with the United States to protect sensitive information from foreign intelligence threats after a high-altitude surveillance balloon was detected.
Winterlude kicks off in Ottawa and Gatineau today, as the national capital region's winter festival returns with in-person activities for the first time in three years.
A Quebec woman’s eyes welled with tears as she picked up her stolen Audi from an Ontario auto shop, not far from where her car smashed through the glass doors of a mall in an 'audacious' theft.
Those heading outside this morning are being advised to bundle up as the Greater Toronto Area and nearly all of Ontario experience a bout of bone-chilling cold.
Hundreds of customers who scan QR codes for restaurant menus across Canada are being surprised by secret menus instead, revealing the hidden costs behind the food they eat.
The Montreal fire department is advising people to avoid Sherbrooke Street East at Carignan Avenue in the Longue Pointe neighbourhood as a five-alarm fire is burning.
Hydro-Québec is asking its customers to take a few steps to reduce electricity consumption in Quebec as a period of intense cold weather began Thursday night in most regions. The utility predicts that on Friday and Saturday, electricity demand could exceed the historical peak consumption, which was about 40,500 megawatts (MW) in January 2022.
A beloved man who was a fixture on the streets of Montreal's Notre-Dame-de-Grace neighbourhood died last year from a combination of street drugs in his system, including fentanyl, a coroner has ruled.
A new survey conducted by Research Co. reveals that more people in Western Canada now support a change in the federal government compared to a similar poll from June.
A former Edmonton Police Service officer believes bringing Alberta Sheriffs into downtown Edmonton is a risky plan that has the potential to backfire if not done properly.
A new survey conducted by Research Co. reveals that more people in Western Canada now support a change in the federal government compared to a similar poll from June.
CTV News has learned that four of five RCMP officers facing charges in the death of an Indigenous man during an arrest in Prince George are still on active duty.
A man who was gunned down outside of his business in South Vancouver never got the chance to meet his daughter, a court heard as his killer was sentenced.
Inside the former Greenway Church turned family home, Nov. 15, 2022. (Reta Ismail/CTV News London)
The former Greenway Church turned family home, Nov. 15, 2022. (Reta Ismail/CTV News London)And if you're wondering, since it's an old church and all, if there are any spirits still lingering, Halpenny said... "I don't know if it's my mind playing tricks on me or if you just hear things because it's an old building, but we've definitely scared our daughter a couple of times by telling her we can hear people walking upstairs.”
