Volunteers vow to restore historic Fish Creek home that's been empty 'long enough'

A group of volunteers is hoping it can save and renovate a century-old house in Fish Creek provincial park.

It's known as The Jobber's House, named for the man who lived there when the Bow Valley Ranch was a going concern and he was the guy who did all the odd jobs around the farm.

The executive director of Friends of Fish Creek, Nic Blanchet, said the farmhouse has sat empty since the 1950s when the last occupants moved out.

The group wants to do a renovation that would give the building new life as office space and possibly a meeting room for community groups.

"I am very excited about this. This will be the biggest project we've ever undertaken but I think for the future of the park and for our community, it's the right thing to do," said Blanchet.

Study underway

The process starts with a feasibility study of the building which was built in 1918.

He said the $44,000 study is being paid for by the Alberta Real Estate Foundation.

Once they know what the building needs and the potential costs, then the fundraising efforts can begin.

Blanchet said there are likely a number of sources they can try tapping for the money. But he's already hearing there's interest.

"A few large companies and a couple of foundations who, when I approached them with the idea, quite surprisingly they weren't interested in supporting the feasibility study but very interested in the construction side of it."

Two area MLAs, the UCP's Richard Gotfried and the NDP's Graham Sucha, are also supporting the project.

Inside untouched for years

Members of the group gave CBC News a glimpse inside the house.

There's faded wallpaper on the walls in the main floor kitchen and well-worn linoleum on the floors.

Some long-neglected provincial park photos and promotional material are stored in boxes on the main floor.

A narrow stairway leads tothree small bedrooms on the second floor.

At one time, a natural gas furnace was in the house but it has been removed and all utilities were shut off years ago.

Blanchet said he's optimistic that work on rehabilitating the house can get underway in 2019.

"It's the right time to do it. It's been empty long enough."

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