By Bobbie-Lynn Hall - The Weekly News
Up until three months ago Pat McNeil hadn't even thought about woodworking. Although he'd built a few things over the years he never considered making it part of his busy life. And then one day while sitting with his "Tim Horton's crew," a friend mentioned she was looking for a birdhouse.
"She just mentioned it in conversation," said McNeil. "I told her I could build her one, so I did."
He took his time with the small birdhouse. He built a little porch on it and placed flowerpots on either side of the door and butterflies on the roof. In the end it turned out to be more of a bird mansion than a birdhouse and his friend loved it. She told a friend who offered to pay him to build her one as well. He did and when he finished she asked if he could build one for her husband.
"She asked if I could make a replica of the Bedford Fire Department," he said. "I looked at it as a challenge and I told her I'd do it."
He took a picture of the building and starting searching for supplies. He found some paint and scraps of wood in his storage room and went to work.
The building is made of wood and the roof is covered in real tiles. He used hard plastic for the truck doors and he painted every brick by hand.
"It took a lot of hours," he said. "But I wanted to get every small detail."
The replica comes complete with a flagpole proudly flying the Canadian flag, fire trucks, a fireman and a trusty Dalmatian.
"That five dollar dog is the most expensive thing on there," laughed McNeil. "I got one of the fire trucks from the dollar store, another at Value Village and a tenant gave me the fireman who's actually a salt shaker."
McNeil was happy to find out that his fire department birdhouse, which can actually house birds, will be auctioned off for a good cause.
Robert Andrews is on the public relations committee for the Bedford Volunteer Firefighters Association. Although this year marks 70 years of fire service in Bedford, and now throughout HRM, not many people know that Bedford has volunteer firefighters and he's happy McNeil's work is bringing attention to the association.
"His work is remarkable and it recognizes those who served as a volunteer firefighter in Bedford over the years," he said.
McNeil said he'd like to keep building birdhouses, but his day job keeps him busy, and as the superintendent of a 42-unit apartment building in Bedford, his day job is pretty much 24/7.
He may be busy but it looks like the building bug has bit. When asked about replicating another Bedford landmark into a birdhouse he didn't hesitate.
"Now that would be a challenge," he said.
The Bedford Fire Department birdhouse will be on display in various locations around Bedford for the next few months. The winning ticket will be drawn during fire prevention week in October.
blhall@eastlink.ca
