A new life

Couple carry on parents dream, restore historic Bloomfield house

It’s hard to miss. A house on the north side of the road in Bloomfield, sitting on blocks, towering over the village. This is the start of renovation, which is more of a passion project with a unique back story.

THE JOURNEY

This story starts as many do—with a couple wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. Adam Martin and Lisa Messina grew up living the city lifestyle. Lisa comes from an Italian family and grew up Woodbridge. Adam’s dad was originally from Trenton, but moved to Mississauga and started a family. Adam lived in Mississauga, and along with his parents and sister spent the summers camping at Sandbanks. That is where his connection with the County started.

(L-R): Lisa Messina and Adam Martin stand in front of the Bloomfield property, eager to start their new life adventure.

Adam and Lisa crossed paths five years ago. Lisa was, and still is, a successful mobility specialist, teaching yoga and pilates. Adam had a successful career in the fashion industry as a buyer for Harry Rosen and Holt Renfrew. The two started dating, and in the first year of their relationship, tragedy struck. Adam’s mom was diagnosed with a brain tumour and not long after passed away. Still dealing with the heartbreak of losing his mom, Adam’s dad passed away a year later, unexpectedly, from a heart attack.

Losing both parents was a turning point in the young couples lives. Lisa remembers those weeks after the tragedy. “We started thinking what is it that we want our lives to be. It really put things into perspective.”

It was always a dream of Adam’s parents to build a home and retire to Prince Edward County. So, Adam took some time off from work, trying to search for what to do next. During that time he rented a home in the County and worked some local jobs in the hospitality industry. Lisa continued to live in Toronto, running her business. After the summer season, Adam was offered a job at Alota Tile by Rusty Brooks. “Adam didn’t have a clue what he was doing, but Rusty said he could teach him, and that’s that,” Lisa laughs as she tells the story. Lisa moved to the County shortly after. The couple had intentions of opening a wellness centre.

Lisa also had a County connection. Adam Bolton, partner of Angeline’s Inn owner Alex Fida, was Lisa’s roommate in Toronto. “Adam Bolton has been my best friend for over 20 years. We lived together in Toronto, and my Adam actually moved in with the two of us,” says Lisa. Bolton started travelling to the County more frequently to help Alex at Angeline’s. “He kept saying you guys have to really move here,” Lisa recounts.

Lisa and Adam had looked at multiple properties in the County. So many, in fact, that they came to a realization. “We probably entertained three or four different properties, and then Adam and I thought we had missed a step,” says Lisa. “Where is our home? Before we launch into a business, maybe we just need a home first.” Enter Alex Fida.

Alex Fida stands in front of the Varney House in Bloomfield, after it had been lifted, and a new foundation poured. PHOTO:

THE HOUSE
The Varney House is steeped with history. The first owners, Levi and Eliza Varney, were local Quaker ministers. Levi was also the village Postmaster. The home, built in 1844, was a private school from 1859 to 1862. It also served as a Quaker meeting house. After the death of Eliza, Wallace Goodmurphy purchased the house. It was then purchased and resided in most recently by Walter and Reta Cronk.

The house is located directly across from Angeline’s Inn. Alex stares at the house on a daily basis, and admits, this is part of the reason he urged his friends to consider purchasing it. “I’ve always admired this house. You can find it in the Settler’s Dream. They have dated it to the 1840s. We’ve actually been able to date it to the 1820s,” says Alex. He set up a time for Lisa and Adam to walk through the house. Lisa jokes that Alex had a desire to get his hands on this house and smiles as she remembers the first time seeing the property. “We walked through the house all together, and I knew it was just about trusting Alex,” she says. “It is clear that Alex thrives in this type of setting. One just has to look at his work at Angeline’s in Bloomfield or the House of Falconer in Picton. Alex thought there was something special, something salvageable here, despite what appeared to be on the outside.”

Lisa and Adam purchased the house, the first step in creating their own dream, as well as preserving a dream of Adam’s parents. The couple are currently living in a trailer, placed near the northern portion of the property. “We wanted to live on the land, so we purchased a trailer. If we are working on the property, it was easiest to be on the property, to meet the trades and answer any questions they might have,” says Lisa. The property offers breathtaking views in the backyard, overlooking some of the Prinzen’s farm fields. “It’s been amazing for many reasons; seeing where the sun rises and how the wind blows on the property, and we are meeting tons of people from the community. People have been stopping by and we love talking to people about the house.”

Alex has taken on the role of designer/ consultant, working closely with architect Beth Globe. “Adam and Lisa had seen some of the work I had done, and they were willing to take it on if I was involved,” says Alex. He notes that the house still has many historic details intact. “After going through the building and looking at the structure, we realized there was quite a bit of original detail that was just hidden beneath other layers,” says Alex. “We think the original structure might have had some sort of commercial use, like a general store or a school.” Alex, being modest, was also sure to point out that his project isn’t about him, to which Lisa disagrees.”It’s a lot about him. We are all in this together. It’s our home, but it was Alex’s idea. His instinct. We trust him.”

A rendering of the Varney House from the mid-1800s

The vision is to restore the house to its original beauty. Work will start on the main structure, with an addition added to the north, as well as a future addition to the west, which will house Lisa’s studio. The foundation was in poor shape, so the house had to be lifted for repairs to be made. At that time, it was decided to move the house back, roughly 30 feet. “The foundation was crumbling, so we had to lift it, and it wasn’t much more work to move it back,” says Alex. The road has been widened so many times, that there was no front yard.” The bones of the house were good, and Lisa and Adam wanted to see the house restored instead of demolished. “We wanted to keep the original character and preserve and respect the County’s history,” says Lisa. “We want to bring a business here and contribute to this community.” Alex is hopeful the main portion of the house will be ready to move into this winter or early spring. He says the County’s planning department has been great, and the only delays so far have been the rain earlier in the spring.

When asked how the project has been progressing, Lisa is quick to answer with positivity.”It’s a big risk. But we are taking it month by month. This project has just felt right from the beginning. We have the Fidas supporting us, and we feel like Adam’s parent’s are truly here with us through this process.”

During the renovations, Lisa is still travelling to Toronto one day a week, to keep up with her clients. She is also hosting yoga sessions at the Drake Devonshire and hosting a mobility class at the Gym at the Armoury. It is safe to say she is adjusting to the County way of life. “It’s nice to slow down a bit. Breathe in the fresh air. Not be on a deadline all the time.” says Lisa. Adam is working at Flame and Smith in Bloomfield, and working on the house.

As for Alex, when asked what’s next for him, he laughs and answers quickly. “Finish what I’ve started. We will work on this project and finish the exterior of House of Falconer.”

When the house was raised, Adam sprinkled some of his parents ashes on the dirt before the footings were poured. A tribute to the dream that his parents once had. “This is an opportunity for us to start our lives that came out of major heartbreak and devastation. We needed a change, and we are embracing it here in the County,” says Lisa. A testament that dreams do come true.