by Sylene Argent
The 1885 Bethel United Church’s cedar shingle roof has recently been replaced with metal material.
Though the roof replacement looks great, the Canadian Transportation Museum & Heritage Village (CTMHV) is looking to the community to continue forwarding donations to the restoration project.
Through in-person donations, and others made online through a GoFundMe page made for the project, around $8000 has been raised. The CTMHV hopes to raise $20,000 to cover the cost of the repair, with additional funding to repair damages the leaky roof caused before the replacement was made.
The Bethel United Church was originally built on the corner of Arner Townline and the 6th Concession. It has been housed at the CTMHV since 1978.
The Bethel United Church serves many purposes for the Museum. It is used as part of the Education Program, where thousands of students get a hands-on history lesson every year, and it is also used for events. Around 20 weddings are also hosted inside the facility each year.
Those who would like to donate can visit https://www.gofundme.com/ctmhv. Members of the community can also make a donation at the Museum during regular business hours. An in-person donation could allow for the issuance of a tax receipt.