BELWOOD – Restoring a local landmark to a new purpose is taking more time and effort than Noah Klar and Jefferson Wilde originally thought.
But their project to restore the old Belwood Schoolhouse, now called the Skol House, is advancing – although it’s painfully slow and involved, Klar said in a phone interview.
The building, at 24 North Broadway Street, was in “rough shape,” Klar said when the business partners bought the property in March 2022.
“It had been vacant for decades and had been gutted,” he said.
“There were walls, a roof and floor, but basically it was a hollowed-out shell.”
Their first step is to get the building safe, secure and watertight. That will involve a structural engineer, a heritage impact study and acquiring building permits, then shoring up the walls and replacing the windows.
‘Complicated project’
“It’s a complicated project, more complicated than we thought,” Klar said. “But it will be well worth it.”
Klar said they intend to leave the main floor open concept but might add bedrooms in the future to offer overnight accommodation.
“This building holds a special place in people’s hearts. Many locals got married there or went to school there,” he said.
“The first time I was there, it felt like a special place. We want to bring it back to life.”
The original schoolhouse was built in 1861 and acted as a school until the 1950s or ‘60s, near as the new owners can tell.
It spent time as a restaurant and an inn and has been vacant for some 30 years.
Klar and Wilde have a vision to turn the space into a location the community can enjoy.
“Our overall vision is to bring it back to life as a community-focused event space, with food, music, art and people,” Klar said.
“We hope to incorporate local businesses into our plan, with local caterers and musicians. No matter what you do with that place, it has to be ambitious.”
As their plans move forward, they hope to use feedback to inform the future use of the space.
“Our focus will be on understanding what people in the area want it to be used for,” he said.
In the meantime, the two are using the grounds for outdoor concerts.
This will be the second season for the “Soundwaves” concert series, which runs every Saturday this summer from July 1 to Sept. 2 with performances from 3 to 9pm.
There will be food vendors, artisans selling their wares, and a licensed area where alcohol will be served, although the concerts are billed as family friendly.
Canada Day concert
The Canada Day concert features Nelson Sobral, Josh Piche, Angela Saini and Ian Andrews.
On July 8 it’s Gregory Hoskins and Nichol Robertson’s Boogaloo featuring Dean and Belitsky.
The lineup for all 10 concerts is listed online at skol.house/line-up.
“These aren’t huge names, but they are very talented. So much good music is coming through,” Kral said.
Concert prices are generally $22 for adults per show although the concert on Canada Day costs $44.
But for $99 you can buy a season’s pass that will get you in to all the shows.
“It’s a beautiful spot and so fun to have people enjoying it,” Kral said.
“A place to eat, drink, listen to tunes and see people – all my favourite things.”
