Page 84 - At Home Prince Edward County

hen asked His initial venture
what it was when he arrived in the
Wlike to move County, Hot House
to Prince Edward Sauna, was a huge
County, Spencer Hoyt's success – so much so that
face lights up with a smile. he has years’ worth of
The Los Angeles native by Evan Nash commissions and more lined
seems an unlikely transplant to up. But Spencer has a wider
PEC but like many newcomers he is scope of interests.
thriving amongst the hardworking He represents a generation of new, savvy
creatives who call the County home. tradespeople.
A short while ago Spencer had a reward- Classically-trained in Architecture at
ing position with a large building firm Hampshire College, he understands and
based out of Portland, Oregon. He worked respects tradition, while highly prizing
on multi-million dollar projects that took high function design and ecological build-
years to complete. The contemporary West ing practices. Taking this vault of theoreti-
Coast-style homes he worked on could be cal knowledge as a base, Spencer Hoyt set
found in Architectural Digest and the like, out to work with his hands.
and he credits this experience as the root of “I understood the pitfalls of working in
his incredible attention to detail. a commercial architecture firm: few
He is humble about rewards and a high
the experience, down- burnout rate,” he says.
playing the prestige. So instead, Spencer
Why then did he give it lucked into a position at
up to start over in rural a solar farm in central
Ontario? The short California. It was a true
answer is Community. sink-or-swim scenario
Spencer's wife is Cana- that taught him a
dian and, as they began lifetime's worth of
their family, they sought practical knowledge.
to be closer to home, but From there he realised
they were not interested he could have a future
in city living. Enter in the trades.
Prince Edward County. Like many in the new
As he begins to generation of skilled
describe his new life in labour, he realised that
the County, Spencer being hardworking and
speaks faster and with competent in the trades
excitement in his voice. was a much more
“I can't believe how valuable asset than his
supportive people are of university professors
one another here. Every- would have had him
one is trying something new and creative, believe. And when coupled with a formal
but it seems less daunting when you’re education in which he learned technology,
surrounded by a community that is history and design principles, you might
genuinely pulling for you.” say he could write his own ticket.

84 @HOME CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION & GARDENING DIRECTORY