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If These Walls Could Talk...
It was
the best of times and the worst of times.
The
Titanic hadn’t sailed, war had yet to change the world forevermore,
and the tiny town of Fergus was just a dot on the map when
Scottish-born brother John and Alexander Moffat built this house
circa 1880.
It was
a labour of love. Although they were already renowned in town for
the quality of carpentry in the flourishing woodworking business
they had established nearby, the Moffats poured their Old World
skills and pride of workmanship into every square inch of this home
created for their family. Defiantly unlike thedour, stoically simple
little stone cottages that had sprung up along the banks of the
Grand River, The Moffat house flaunted its flamboyant roof-tower and
divinely delicate gingerbread trim like the prettiest girl at the
ball.
It
seemed that John and his wife Janet would live here happily ever
after. Theirs was a simple life; as the Moffat clan grew to include
six sons and two daughters, these rooms were filled with the sounds
of children, grace spoken before Sunday dinner, bagpipes at the drop
of a hat, and lots of laughter.
Until
that dreadful day when all of Fergus grew suddenly silent. On the
afternoon of August 29, 1899, John Moffat was working alongside his
young son John, and other members of the community, erecting the
massive trusses used to support the roof of the new Melville church.
Two were already in place when the guy rope on the third truss
broke, sending the immense, two-ton timber crashing down, striking
Moffat and hurling him to the ground. He died at the scene, in the
arms of his friend Alex Shaw.
Although the Moffat family continued to live here for years after
John’s death, it was never the same happy house.
Until
now. Call it karma, but it seems perfectly fitting that the new
owners and long-time friends Reina Choudhury-Todd and Janette Feniak
have brought this house back to life as Van Gali’s Café. Like the
Moffats, their families migrated to Canada full of hope from afar –
Janette’s from Holland (hence the ‘Van’) Reina’s from England and
Bangladesh (she’s the ‘Gali’ part) – and set out to create a warm
and welcome place where all would feel at home. Now, this house is
again filled with laughter. The pantry is stocked with fresh
ingredients from the market. There’s happy music in the air. And the
kitchen bustles, bubbles, clanks and hums once more as Janette and
Reina, create the kind of simple, homemade, heartfelt food they
love.
Somewhere, Mr Moffat must be smiling… |
We Welcome you...
Cafe
Hours
Mon-Wed
7:30am-5pm
Thur -
Sat
7:30am-8pm
Sunday
9am-3pm
* With exception of closures due to privately booked
functions
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Inn
Hours
Check
In: 2pm
Check
Out: 11am
(flexible)
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Location
180 St.
Andrew Street E.
Fergus,
ON
Phone:
519-787-2900
Email:
info@vangalis.ca
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