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banner photo of early 27 Belton renovation.

It caught my eye while cycling by. Something amiss? No, missing.

I can not tell you when the activity at Carol's old family home began. I first noticed work was being done on the 8th of October, 2012, when cycling to the village to buy Fair-Trade coffee from Dix Mille Villages.

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We had stayed a few days at 27 Belton when we first came up to Pointe-Claire to look for a house in preparation for a move from New york. Carol's parents had made us welcome. and we very much appreciated their kindness.

The house had been sold recently, but we had not driven past it for many weeks. Belton is a quiet road more likely to be on the route of someone walking or cycling.

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Once my coffee supply was secured for the next couple of weeks, I grabbed a camera and pedalled back to Belton for a few snaps.

Clearly, there was some foundation work being done. But more strikingly, the east side extension "sitting room" had gone.

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I decided to carry a camera whenever I went that way over the next few months to record the progress.

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Just three days later I was in for a surprise.

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The house was now fully undermined and supported on girders.

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The grounds had been cleared, so there was no sign of any of the previous lawn and garden.

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Three weeks later a new foundation was in place. But the house had not been positioned and still sat on girders

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Another week and a half, and the house was sitting prettily at its new height and squarely on the foundation.

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November 22nd brought another surprise. An extension had been added to the rear of the house.

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But the greatest surprise came in January. Some time between the 22nn of November 2012 and the 12th of January 2013, a new house appeared in the cleared yard on the east.

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The new house was not finished. I saw and spoke with the owner. He said he was living in 27 Belton, but would sell it and move into the new house when it is completed. Installation of the siding and other final work on the exterior would have to wait until the good weather.

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Well the good weather is here, so the new house will soon be completed. But, as of May 4th, 27 Belton has been given a bit of turf and shrubbery to make it presentable.

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