The Lynes Blacksmith Shop is trying to raise about $114,000 to replace the roof of the Lynes Blacksmith Shop
KENILWORTH – A long-standing historic restoration project has reached its final stages and needs public support to become a reality.
The Lynes Blacksmith Shop is located on Highway 6 between Arthur and Mount Forest. Built in 1885, it served two generations of the Lynes family as a blacksmith shop and carriage shop until it finally closed its doors in 1955.
After remaining untouched for approximately 60 years, the site was donated to the Wellington North community in 2017 by Dr. Frank Lynes, son and grandson of the original blacksmiths James Lynes Jr. and Sr., in the hope that the property could be transformed into a cultural center for local learning.
Several years and projects later, Lynes Blacksmith Shop Committee Chair Kate Rowley said replacing the workshop roof was the final stage of the restoration project before the workshop could officially open and they were looking for community support to make this possible.
“I’ve always described (the blacksmith shop) as a community redevelopment project. This is hopefully the last time we’ll turn back to the community because once it’s done, it’ll be a little more self-sustaining,” Rowley said.
According to Rowley, the committee wants to replace the property’s current green roof with a skylight and chimney to give the property its authentic 19th-century appearance.
Rowley said replacing the roof, which is scheduled to be completed by the first week of October, will cost about $114,000 and that the committee will ask Wellington North Council on Monday, August 26, to apply for a $125,000 loan to support the campaign.
“The roof is an outlier – it’s an expensive project that we had to raise money for, so we’ve done nothing but make it public,” Rowley said. “The idea is that now that this is happening, the work is progressing, it’s easier to raise money for something that’s going to happen than to say something’s going to happen.”
Rowley said that so far about half of the money needed for the roof truss has been raised and that the community support for the project has been fantastic, with many people, particularly those who knew the Lynes, continuing to volunteer to help complete the restoration.
“The will for this project is there … there are people who want to see it finished,” Rowley said. “They want to put their stamp on something that will be here for a while. History is a funny thing in that respect. It’s a way for everyone to mark their place, isn’t it? And so it’s become important for people to be a part of it, to mark their little place in history.”
Once the roof is restored, Rowley hopes the store and grounds can serve as a small living history experience throughout the summer, similar to a pioneer village, with interactive exhibits and live reenactments.
Although there are no concrete plans, Rowley said the committee also wants to restore the Lynes family home and village barn on the property to be part of the experience.
“We’re hoping to create a little cultural oasis in the middle of all this hustle and bustle,” Rowley said. “Once school groups and things like that are back here, it’s going to be a whole different world and it’s pretty awesome.”
Local residents can donate to the Raise the Roof campaign or book a tour of the grounds by visiting lynesblacksmithshop.org or contacting Kate Rowley at the Mount Forest Museum and Archives: 519-323-4755 or (email protected).
Isabel Buckmaster is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a government-funded program.
