Goderich tornado rebuild on IODE home tour this weekend

The mantle is nearly bare as Kathy Young prepares for the arrival of decorators.

HEATHER BOA Bullet News GODERICH – Seven decorated trees, 20 poinsettias, a massive wreath and other Christmas decorations will be woven into the every day of Kathy and John Young’s home, which is one of five stops on this year’s IODE Maple Leaf Chapter’s Christmas Home Tour this weekend.

In the days leading up to the tour, decorators from Watson’s Home Hardware of Goderich and David Scott Landscape Gardener of Stratford will add a touch of the holidays to this home’s first Christmas. The 1,800-square-foot home was built on the site of a similar-styled 130-year-old home that was knocked about by seven trees and high winds during the tornado that ripped through Goderich and area in August 2011.

“The town gave back to us tenfold,” said Kathy, noting the tour is a chance for people who have driven past in the months after the tornado to get a closeup look at the house and pay $15 toward a worthwhile charity.

The family worked with builder Brian Schon of Renaissance Construction to complete the build in four months, first picking out a layout aptly named Augusta, then modifying it to meet their particular needs.

“Most people when they build a house think about it for years and we didn’t have any time to do that. We went through the three engineering reports we had to have on the house and, no, it couldn’t be saved. So now it has to come down, what do we do?” Kathy said. They chose to rebuild on the lot in order to stay in familiar surroundings.

The home is designed with an eye to the possibilities of either selling or longevity of life, with the master bedroom and ensuite on the main floor, two bedrooms upstairs for their daughters, dining room for entertaining, spacious galley kitchen – with contemporary cabinetry and funky lighting fixtures – that opens onto a family room, main floor laundry room, and plenty of storage space, including a Christmas storage nook above the living room that’s easily accessible from the stairway. It has an enclosed deck since there are no mature trees left on the property to provide summer shade.

Some of the furniture was salvaged and either cleaned or reupholstered. A detailed wood-framed chair and loveseat are newly upholstered in an intriguing colour that lies somewhere between taupe and charcoal, while a muted red couch set was unscathed by the tornado and simply needed to be cleaned of debris.

The family shared space with the reams of rich upholsteries Kathy was using to create all of the window coverings, including 15-foot long ones for the main window, while they lived temporarily in a trailer on the Union Sideroad until their home was ready on Feb. 21, 2012.

She joked that perhaps she should ask for a refund on the careful packaging of her wedding dress that didn’t withstand the tornado.

“One thing that people said was that John and I kept our senses of humour about it. You had to. If you didn’t, you’d just be angry or sad or both all the time. It is what it is,” she said.

She said the tornado has given them an understanding of what’s important in life.

“We’re not better off financially, but we’re better off in that it’s given us a better sense of community. We’re better people because we see things in a different way,” Kathy said. “It was just a freaking house. It was just stuff. We were okay. All of the people who were important to us were okay.”

The IODE Maple Leaf Chapter’s Christmas Home Tour takes places Saturday, Nov. 10 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 11, from noon to 4 pm. Other homes include: 45 Lee Cres., owned by Karen and Lynn Ferguson; 292 Warren St., owned by Denese and Larry McCabe; 91 Park St., owned by Melissa and Jeff Wormington; and 19 Wellington St. S., owned by Stephanie and Paul Scholten.

Tickets, $15, are available at Goderich Tourism Office, All Around the House, Fincher’s, Luann’s Flowers and Gifts or and IODE member. Refreshments follow the tour at the Goderich branch library, 52 Montreal St.