Holland College students help restore church nativity scene
It was literally falling apart, says treasurer of St. Augustine's Church in Rustico
A nativity scene dating from more than a century ago has been restored by students in the heritage retrofit carpentry program at Holland College.
The scene is set up every December inside St. Augustine's Church in Rustico on P.E.I.'s North Shore, but the large manger building and some of the figures and animals were becoming fragile.
Les Standen, treasurer of the church, said on Monday the church is grateful to see it restored.
"The condition was declining very quickly," Standen said.
"It's such an important part of our Christmas celebrations."
He said the display was literally falling apart and the church was thrilled to get it done in time for midnight mass this year.
"They refurbished it and did some marvellous work," he said. "It makes it so authentic."
The church had asked for help last year, but staff with the heritage retrofit program said some COVID-19 delays meant the project took longer than expected.
Josh Silver, learning manager for the heritage retrofit carpentry program at Holland College, said they really wanted to make sure they got the project done in time for Christmas of 2020.
"It is a gorgeous piece, a work of art, but it's 100 plus years old," Silver said.
He said they removed some non-period appropriate materials that had been added over the years but didn't match the original design. They then used historically accurate materials in the re-build such as forged rod iron nails, plaster and rough sawn wood.
He said about 25 per cent of it needed to be re-built.
"We restored it right back to its original form," said Silver.
Students volunteered their time and the church covered the cost of the materials.
"This project was above and beyond our curriculum, so the students volunteered to do this work before and after school and during lunch hours,"
He said it's nice to give back to the community and he called it a "really engaging project."
Silver said it felt magical to work on the nativity scene, and it was honour to work on a pieces of such historical significance.
"It gives me the chills thinking about it," he said.
The heritage retrofit carpentry program also built a custom storage case that should help protect the display in the years to come.
Standen said you could tell the display was built by people who cared, and with the refurbishment they took take to preserve that feeling, while at the same time making it sturdier and ready for the coming century.
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