Why Ohakune?
Why a renovation project?
Why a church?
These are the questions people ask me when they find out what I’m up to. I was thinking about this as I was walking to an early morning meeting in May with someone I respect as a coach and mentor. I thought about the first car I bought in 1994 which was a 1965 Volkswagen Kharmann Ghia Type34. If you’re not a car nut then this is what it looks like:
Early May was when I was trying to buy the church from the new owner, and I was tossing up whether or not to increase my original offer. I thought about my first car purchase and realised that I just don’t do ordinary! That spurred me to up my offer but unfortunately it was not to be at that stage.
Ohakune is a cute little village near the base of Mount Ruapehu. I love the small size and population, the large sections, the historic areas, and of course the views. It’s an easy drive from Wellington and negates the need to traverse the treacherous Desert Road. I feel that it is a place where I can relax and re-charge my batteries at the end of the week.
I’ve dreamed of renovating a property since I was a teenager. I remember cutting up paint charts and putting together different colour combinations to see how they went together. I’ve lived in old and modern properties, and have always preferred older properties with their generous proportions, sense of history, and space. Making a space my own has been a long-held dream.
I’m fascinated by churches – the spaces they create and the energy they contain. History is a favourite subject of mine. I remember visiting churches of different denominations in my home town as part of our history class to explore how their religious beliefs were reflected in their architecture.
I’ve been eyeing up churches for conversion for about a decade now. Serendipity provided me with a church ripe for renovation for sale in Ohakune when I was looking to buy. It was meant to be.
So there you have it. Let the adventure begin!
Next time: The money pit just got a whole lot deeper
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