Page 13 - At Home Prince Edward County

Was it strange to buy a property that
included a 15-acre cemetery?
“Not at all,” says Al. “This is our third
cemetery. We’re the largest cemetery
management company in the region,
as well as being agents for Heritage
Monuments.”
The DeWitts also ran Dewmill
Events which rents out equipment and
materials for hosting events, but have
now sold that business to focus on
their own event venue, which they call
it The Junction, and if that sounds Al, Cindy and her “pie wagon” in the church garden.
country, that’s because it is (apologies Opposite: The Chapel now has a terrific dance floor.
to Kris Kristofferson).
“One of our goals was to offer an event the events rental business with Cindy.
space that is accessible and affordable,” he When they showed interest in purchas-
says. The cost of renting the chapel, aka the ing the Cherry Valley church, the cemetery
dancing room, plus the fully-equipped din- board was delighted.
ing hall and kitchen is about the same as Al and Cindy found the single storey
renting a marquee in the garden. hall to be plain and functional but showing
Al was raised in Carrying Place in its age. The kitchen was in good shape, big
Prince Edward County and spent 20 years and bright, but the spacious hall itself was
in civil engineering before taking on ceme- dowdy, dark and downright drab.
tery management. Along the way he be- Al did all the renovations himself apart
came a local counsellor in Trenton and built from calling in a plumber at one point.

@HOME CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION & GARDENING DIRECTORY 13