R E STO R I N G T H E G R A N D I N PETTIT . . . . .
Woodcarver Steve has ample natural light in his basement workshop.
for bribing police in a gaming house scheme that included “unlawfully selling liquor.” Pat went on to champion legal aid in Alberta and was eventually reinstated as a lawyer. He credited Alcoholics Anonymous for turning his life around. Pulling Back From the Brink That drama aside, in 1975, new owners Bill and Dorothy
Karen and Steve on their grand verandah.
Onochinsky began house improvements “with touches of original charm.” Still, the house went up for sale in 1987. Prospective buyers intended to bulldoze. People who valued heritage homes were devastated. Miraculously, the sale fell through. Locals Meg Gerwing and Greg Botting hurried with an offer to save the house.
The following year, they got a Municipal Heritage Property designation to prevent future demolition, the first privately owned residence to receive such status. The couple began restoration work, estimated at about $30,000, while still renting several rooms. They repaired a 9.5-foot fieldstone pillar to save the iconic front portico. Greg was killed in an accident
in 1999; Meg eventually sold to Karen and Steve in 2004. All the More Reason to Love “We went to look at the house and it was pretty overwhelming. We didn’t burst into tears then; we did that on the day we took possession!” Karen laughs. “We knew it would take work, but it was kind of a fantasy building for us. Our minds were
SPRING 2017 . . . . .
Saskatoon HOME
41