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Erosnirsinimstimimmestsremmememmenermmemmmmmmenstsssizsssmenssomenummmeom emmemeee.â€"... Area landmafk to disappear o "I was a young lad then but I could Tourney‘s father, mother, aunt, has been formed by Ginn that will drive a nail," explained Reg sisterand brother Bobareallburied collect money to have a special Tourney, 93, who helped build the in the cemetery beside the church _ monument built at the site once the Watabeag Anglican Church in 1910. and Reg said that perhaps one day, _ churchisgone. The church, which is scheduled to _ he might be buried there to join the Ginn said Monday night that, be demolished this week, holds a lot _ restofhisfamily. although the committee will begin of fond memories for Reg Tourney of "But I‘ve still got a lot of years in _ collecting funds in the new year, he his years growing up and attending . meyet," explainedthe93â€"yearâ€"old. hopes to raise more than $5,000 to church every Sunday. Julie Clark, Reg‘s niece still lives _ erect a brass plaque as well as a "I used to carry the portable organ _ nearthechurch whereshegrew up. monument. a mile and a half up a bush trail every ""Ican remember my uncles helped "There are a lot of people who are Sunday from our home," explained _ build the church which was built of _ willingto donatetothe committee for Tuurney,11 gh;) now _ lives _ in _ logs andthencoveredwithshingles," _ amemorial," explainedGinn. Beamsville, Ontario. sherecalled. orgs? "My mother Marion Tourney used _ Her father who just passed away . 5. ]tagsgw C‘f”‘le’;l (Il‘a‘f""“ce f’°“} to play the organ during the church _ recently, left explicit orders he was 7 uth grcum‘eb c gwf";‘:jpm‘;f service every Sunday," recalled â€" to be buried along with the family, 10 thechurchtobedemolished and it i i was his wish that the structure be Reg, one of the last true pioneers of _ shesaid. 1 thearea. Reg, however, who saw the church bumed_so as not totdlsu,'fb '}33(;9f the "‘In those days, there werenoroads _ only two months ago said the church graves inthe cerfn?i]erly, aslal s and it was common for us to carry _ isn‘tdangerous andthemoney thatis 4 memlfer of the loc ceme:ery packs that weighed about 150 pounds _ to be collected to erect a monument boz.ard, Ginn said the 1_:: emest(_-:ry or more," explained Tourney. to the church and the people who built adjacent to the church is the re: mhg "I was even christened and . it should be used to fix up the 76 year place of petween 20. 30 ploncers iwho confirmed _ there . by _ Bishop â€" oldchurch. 8 helped build thenorth. Anderson," said Tourney, sad upon Although the Bishop called for the hearing the news that the Church was Peter Ginn, a local history buff _ Church to be destroyed by fire, Black to be torn down. explained the church escaped the Riverâ€"Matheson council expressed "The church should be preserved _ Matheson Fire in 1916. However, CODcern and will have the church at all costs. The history and the â€" Tourney said the fire, which was Pulldozed. memories of that church will never _ started by railway workers who were Although the church will remain in be forgotten," said Tourney sadly. burning old railway ties, didn‘treach _ the memories of the people who "I used to be a member of the boys‘ _ the Watabeag area and the church : helped build it and those who choir in the church. We used to sing to _ Wasn‘tinany danger of being burned. _ attended the last service more than about 11 or 12 people on a normal _ "I remember that I was in the 30 years ago, artifacts such as solid Sunday and on special occasions _ Army and stationed at Camp Borden _ brass plaques engraved with the Ten there would be about 20 or 21. That _ at the time. I was one of the many _ Commandments as well as pews in wasa big crowd," herecalled. troops who were sent to the area to _ the church have been removed and Having helped built the church _ pick up the dead, search for others â€" areinthenew AnglicanChurch. when he was young, Tourney _ andtoburythem,"herecalled. So, despite the church being taken remembers that pine trees were cut ""T had to bury a lot of my friends," _ awayfromthelandscapewhichithas out of the surrounding bush and then _ hesaidsadly. occupied for so many years, the cut into beams at a local farm set up However, with the church to be _ memories and the artifacts will help witha sawmill. demolished this week, a committee _ thechurchliveon.